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THE 


FOLK-LOEE  JOURNAL 


VOL.    II. 


(JANUARY— DECEMBER  1884.) 


Alter  etlduiu 


LONDON : 

PUBLISHED  FOR  THE  FOLK-LORE  SOCIETY 

BY  ELLIOT  STOCK,  62,  PATERNOSTER  ROW. 

1884. 


^ftm  of  Ihe  ^o\\{-3on  ^odatg, 

1884-1885. 


PEESIDENT. 

THE  RIGHT  HON.  EARL  BEAUCHAMP,  F.S.A. 

VICE-PRESIDENTS. 

A.  LANG,  M.A. 

W.  R.  S.  RALSTON,  M.A. 

EDWARD  B.  TYLOR,  LL.D.,  F.R.S. 

COUNCIL. 

EDWARD  BRABROOK,  F.S.A. 

JAMES  BRITTEN,  F.L.S. 

EDWARD  CLODD. 

SIR  W.  R.  DRAKE,  F.S.A. 

G.  L.  GOMME,  F.S.A. 

J.  T.  MICKLETHWAITE,  F.S.A. 


ALFRED  NUTT. 

PROFESSOR  A.  H.  SAYCE,  M.A. 

EDWARD  SOLLY,  F.R.S.,  F.S.A. 

WILLIAM  J.  THOMS,  F.S.A. 

W.  S.  W.  VAUX,  M.A. 

HENRY  B.  WHEATLEY,  F.S.A. 


DIRECTOR.— WILLIAM  J.  THOMS,  F.S.A. 
TREASURER.-SIR  WILLIAM  R.  DRAKE,  F.S.A. 

HONORARY  SECRETARIES. 

G.  L.  GOMME,  F.S.A.,  2,  Park  Villas,  Lonstlale  Road,  Barnes,  S.W. 

A.  GRANGER  HUTT,  F.S.A.,  8,  Oxford  Road,  Kilbum,  N.W. 

AUDITORS.— John  Tolhurst,  F.S.A.    G.  L.  Apperson. 

BANKERS.— Union  Bank  of  London,  Charing  Cross  Branch. 

FOLK-TALE  COMMITTEE. —Messrs.  Apperson,  Britten,  Blind,  Clodd.  Hartland, 

Nutt,  Lauf;,  Ralston,  Sonnenschein,  Wheatley,  Solly,  Wake,  Gomme. 


CONTENTS. 


Abercromby  (Hon.  J.) 


Irish  Stories  and  Charms 
Irish  Bird- Lore 


Annual  Report  for  1883 
Black  (William  George). 


Turcoman  Folk-Lore    . 
Holy  Wells  in  Scotland 


PAQE 
33 

65 

385 

43 

173 

193 

206 

20 

40 

289 

82 

235 

Crombie  (J.  W.)     A  Curious  Superstition     .         .         .         .172 
Drayton,  Folk-Lore  of  .         .         .         Ill,  142,  225,  266,  357 

Edmonds  (Mrs.  E.  M.)     Notes  on  Greek  Folk-Lore       .         .       168 

340 


Britten  (James)     Irish  Folk-Tales  .... 

Buchheim  (Emma  S.)     The  Pied  Piper  of  Hamelin 
Bume  (Charlotte  S.)     Two  Folk-Tales  from  Herefordshire 

Variant  of  the  Three  Noodles 

Clodd  (Edward)     Philosophy  of  Punchkin     . 
Coote  (Henry  Charles)     Children's  Games  in  Sicily 
Folk-Lore  in  Modem  Greece    . 


Folk-Lore  Terminology         .         .         . 

Gomme  (G.  L.)     Bibliography  of  Folk-Lore  Publications  in 

English 

Gregor  (Rev.  Walter)     Three  Folk-Tales  from  Old  Meldrum 


Aberdeenshire 


East  of  Scotland 


Aberdeenshire 


Hippie    Folk-Lore   from    the   North 


Folk-Tales  from  Aberdeenshire 

Old  Farming  Customs  and  Notions  in 


Fishermen's  Folk-Lore 

Hope  (R.  C.)     Some  Derbyshire  Proverbs  and  Sayings  . 

Irish  Folk-Lore 138,  210 


197 
68 

106 

277 


329 
353 

278 


PAGE 

Jones   (Rev.   W.   H.)  and  Lewis   H.  Kropf,    Szekely    Folk- 
Medicine       97 

Kinalian  (G.  H.)     Conneraara  Folk-Lore      ....       257 
Martinengo-Cesaresco  (The  Countess)     The  Wise  Choice       .       109 

American  Games  and  Songs       243 

Morris  (Rev.  Dr.  Richard;     Folk-Tales  of  India      .       304,  332,  370 
Notes  and  Queries        23,  57,  90,  120,  156,  187,  218,  253,  285,  317, 

348,  377 
Notices  and  News  27,  63,  95, 125, 159, 192,  223,  255,  320,  351, 382 
Nutt  (Alfred)  Irish  Mythology  according  to  a  recent  writer  .  175 
Folk-Lore  Terminology 


Pengelly  (William)     Impounding  Wild  Birds 
Sawyer  (Frederick  E.)     Sussex  "  Tipteerers  "  Play 
"  Old  Clem  "  Celebrations  and  Black 


311 
19 
1 

321 


smiths'  Lore  ....... 

Sibree  (Rev.  James,  jun.)     Malagasy  Folk-Tales   .    45,  75,  129,  161 
Tabulation  of  Folk-Tales       .         .         .  152,  183,  214,  249,  281 

Temple  (Captain  R.  C.)  Burmese  Ordeals      ....         89 

Wratislaw  (Rev.  A.  H.)  Prince  Unexpected  ....  9 


SUSSEX  "  TIPTEERERS'"  PLAY. 


N  connection  with  the  celebration  of  Christmas  in  Sussex, 
a  rude  outdoor  play  is  still  performed  on  Boxing  Day 
(December  26th).  One  version  of  this  play  has  been 
published  by  the  Kev.  W.  D.  Parish  in  the  appendix  to 
his  Dictionary  of  the  Sussex  Dialect,  but  this  is  not  so  complete  as 
some  other  versions.  I  have  therefore  endeavoured  to  collect  and 
collate  all  the  versions  of  the  play  used  in  Sussex ;  and  through  the 
kindness  of  several  correspondents  I  am  now  able  to  give  the  full  text 
of  a  very  complete  version,  with  full  explanatory  notes.  I  am  in- 
debted for  the  words  to  Edmund  Young,  Esq.,  M.R.C.S.,  of  Steyning, 
Sussex,  who  obtained  them  from  William  Turrall,  Captain  of  the 
Steyning  "  Tipteers  "  (or  Tipteerers). 

The  origin  of  the  name  Tipteers  or  Tipteerers,  as  the  Sussex 
mummers  are  termed,  appears  to  be  obscure,  unless  it  is  derived  from 
their  obtaining  **  tips  "  in  recompense  for  their  performance. 

The  play  is  probably  a  corruption  of  '*  The  Seven  Champions  of 
Christendom,"  as  is  shown  by  the  following  note  kindly  furnished  by 
James  Rock,  Esq.:*—"  Within  my  recollection  a  party  of  mummers 
used  to  go  about  the  streets  of  Hastings  performing  'The  Seven 
Champions  of  Christendom.'  Of  this  play  I  only  remember  that  one 
of  the  performers  stepped  forward  saying,  •  I  am  St.  George  for 
England ';  another  then  said,  *  I  am  St.  Denis  for  France,'  where- 
upon a  terrific  combat  ensued.  Sword-dances  were  also  performed, 
in  which  the  dancers  tripped  about  between  swords  laid  on  the  ground. 
Something  of  the  same  kind  is,  or  was  lately,  practised  by  boys  at 
Christmas-time  in  the  village  of  Hollington,  near  Hastings.     The 

*  Of  Tonbridge,  but  who  formerly  resided  at  Hastings. 

Vol.  2.— Part  1.  b 


party  asked  permission  to  enter  tlie  houses,  and  performed  their  rude 
phvy  in  the  entrance-hall." 

As  regards  costume,  Mr.  Young  writes  :—"  Glazed  calico  of 
decidedly  pronounced  colours,  with  a  sprinkling  of  spangles  and 
ribbon,  formed  the  basis.  The  Turk  was,  when  I  last  saw  the  show, 
the  best  dressed  as  regarded  nationality,  with  short  skirt,  very  baggy 
trousers,  and  an  impromptu  turban.  The  prevailing  sword  was  an 
ingenious  arrangement  of  laths.  Their  stage  was  *  the  Queen's  high- 
way.' " 

With  these  explanations  we  may  now  proceed  with  the  play. 

DRAMATIS  PERSONS. 
Father  Christmas.  Valiant  Soldier. 

St.  George.  Bold  Prince  (a  fancy  character). 

Noble  Captain.  Doctor. 

Turkish  Knight.  Prince  of  Peace. 

Little  Johnny  Jack. 


Enter  Father  Christmas. 

Father  Christmas.  In  comes  I,  Old  Father  Christmas, 
Am  I  welcome  or  am  I  not  ? 
Sometimes  I  am  cold,  sometimes  I  am  hot,* 
I  hope  that  Old  Father  Christmas  will  never  be  forgot. 
Room,  Indies  and  gentlemen,  room  I  pray, 
While  I  lead  St.  George  and  all  his  noble  men  tliis  way. 
Walk  in  St.  George  and  act  thy  part, 
And  shew  the  ladies  and  gentlemen  thy  valiant  art. 
Walk  in,  St.  George. 

Enter  St.  George. 

St.  George.  In  comes  I  St.  George, 
That  man  of  courage  bold ; 
With  my  sword  and  shield 
I  have  won  ten  thousands  of  gold. 

*  One  Sussex  version  of  the  play  adds  here,  *'  Sometimes  sober  and  sometimes 
not,"  and  this  is  doubtless  not  nnfrequently  the  case  with  the  performer. 


SUSSEX  "  TIPTEEREKS'  "  PLAY.  3 

I  fought  the  fiery  Dragon,  and  brought  him  to  great  slaughter, 
And  by  that  means  I  gained  the  King  of  Egypt's  daughter. 
Father  Christmas.  Walk  in,  you  Noble  Captain. 

Enter  Noble  Captain. 

Noble  Captain.  In  comes  I    the    Noble  Captain,  *  lately  come  from 
France ; 

With  my  broad  sword  and  jolly  Turk 

I'll  make  St.  George  to  dance. 
St.  George.  Neither  to  you  I  am  bound  to  bend. 
Noble  Captain.  Why,  sir,  did  ever  I  take  you  to  be  my  friend  ? 
St.  George.  Yes,  you  saucy  coxcomb. 
Noble  Captain.  Coxcomb  is  a  glorious  name. 
St.  George.  You  are  right  to  be  stabbed. 
Noble  Captain.  To  be  stabbed,  sir,  is  the  least  I  fear. 
St,  George.  Appoint  a  place  and  I'll  meet  you  there. 
Noble  Captain.  The  place  is  appointed  on  this  ground. 

Where  I  mean  to  lay  thy  body  down. 
St.  George.  I  will  cross  the  water  that  is  so  wide. 
Noble  Captain.  Done,  sir,  I'll  meet  you  there  if  I  am  alive, 

I  will  cross  the  water  with  our  ten, 

I  will  meet  you  there  with  ten  thousand  men. 
St.  George.  I'll  cut,  I'll  slay  you,  I'll  let  you  know 

I  am  St.  George  the  Briton  oh. 
Noble  Captain.  I  will  cross  the  water  with  our  four. 

And  meet  you  there  with  ten  thousand  more. 

Oh,  St.  George,  hold  thy  hand. 

While  I  send  in  my  Turkish  man. 

Walk  in,  you  Turkish  Knight. 

Enter  Turkish  Knight. 

Turkish  Knight.  In  comes  I  the  Turkish  Knight, 
Come  from  the  Turkish  land  to  fight. 
I  will  fight  St.  George,  that  man  of  courage  bold  ; 
If  his  blood  is  hot  I  will  quickly  make  it  cold. 

*  Possibly  this  character  represents  St.  Denis. 

b2 


i 

4  SUSSEX  '*  TIPTEERERS'  "  PLAY.  | 

St.  George.  Oh  Turk,  oh  Turk,  do  not  boast,  ^ 

Or  I  will  cut  you  down  as  small  as  dust.  : 

Turkish  Knight.  Oh,  St.  George,  do  not  threaten,  i 

Or  I  will  cut  you  down  with  my  rusty  old  weapon.  I 

St.  George,  Oh  Turk,  oh  Turk,  do  not  caper,  j 

Or  I  will  cut  you  down  with  my  old  rapier. 

[They  fight  and  St.  George  falls  slightly  wounded. 
Father  Christmas.  Oh  Turk,  oh  Turk,  what  have  you  done  ? 

You  have  wounded  my  beloved  son.  j 

Turkish  Knight.  Well,  didn't  he  give  me  the  challenge  to  do  it,  and  1 

how  could  I  deny  it  ?  \ 

See  how  high  he  was,  and  now  see  how  low  he  is. 

\_Turk  falls  on  one  knee  slightly  wounded. 
Father  Christmas.  Arise,  St.  George,  and  do  not  refrain. 

But  boldly  rise,  and  fight  that  dreadful  Turk  again.  I 

\_St.  George  rises  and  fights  Turk  again^  \ 

Turkish  Knight  {on  one  knee).  Down  on  my  bending  knee,  i 

A  poor  Turkish  slave,  I  crave  to  thee. 
St.  George.  Get  up,  you  Turkish  Knight, 

Go  home  to  your  Turkish  land  and  fight ;  ] 

Go  home  and  tell  them  what  champions  there  is  in  Old  England  \ 

dwells. 

I  will  send  in  my  Valiant  Soldier. 
Father  Christmas.  Walk  in,  you  Valiant  Soldier. 

Enter  Valiant  Soldier.  ] 

Valiant  Soldier.  In  comes  I  the  Valiant  Soldier,  * 

Bold  Slasher  is  my  name. 

My  head  is  crowned  in  iron,*  1 

My  body  is  cased  in  Rteel,f 

And  with  my  sword  into  my  knuckle-bone  j 

I  will  fight  this  Turk  all  in  this  field;  '^ 

I  will  pull  out  my  sword  and  fight,  pull  out  my  purse  and  pay. 

For  satisfaction  will  I  have  before  I  go  away.  j 

Turkish  Knight.  No  satisfaction  shall  you  have,  ' 

No  satisfaction  will  I  give, 
♦  A  helmet.  f  Armour. 


SUSSEX  '^  TIPTEEREKS'  "  PLAY.  5 

For  in  a  moment's  time,  you  rascal, 

I  will  bring  you  to  your  silent  grave.  ' 

Valiant  Soldier.  I  have  travelled  England,  Ireland,  Scotland, 

France,  Spain,  and  Wales,  for  what  St.  George  shall  have  his 

will, 
You  Turkish  dog  I  soon  will  kill. 

Enter  Bold  Prince. 

Bold  Prince.  In  comes  I  Bold  Prince,  with  spear  in  hand,  ] 

Bid  thee  thy  foes  to  fear  not.     Stand,  \ 

Stand  St.  George,  that  great  man  of  command, 
The  ruler  over  the  British  land, 
Advance  the  power  this  very  hour; 

Gallant  sons  you  must  obey,  \ 

Let  fly  your  hands,  and  fight  on  my  lads,  with  a  good  huzza  !  1 

hooray !  \_Fierce  fight,  Turk  killed.  [ 

There,  ladies  and  gentlemen,  see  what  I  have  done,  i 

I  have  cut  him  down  like  the  evening  sun.  i 

Noble  Captain.  Oh  fie  !  oh  fie  !  my  man  is  slain,  ^ 

And  on  this  ground  his  body  laid  ;  i 

Oh,  for  some  doctor  I  must  seek  ' 

While  my  man  lies  bleeding  here  so  deep. 

Oh  doctor,  doctor !  come  with  speed  ^ 

To  heal  the  sick,  and  raise  the  dead:  j 

Oh,  is  there  a  doctor  to  be  found  ^ 

To  raise  this  dead  man  from  the  ground? 

Father  Christmas.  Oh,  yes,  here's  a  doctor  well  and  good,  \ 

With  my  hand  I  am  endeavouring  to  stop  the  blood ; 
Stop  the  blood,  and  heal  the  wound,  \ 

And  raise  that  dead  man  from  the  ground.  1 

Enter  Doctor.  j 

Father  Christmas.  Well,  Doctor,  what  can  you  cure?  '\ 

Doctor.  Cure  the  hipsy,  pipsy,  palsy  pains,  and  the  gout,  1 

All  raging  pains  both  in  and  out,  • 

A  broken  leg,  or  a  broken  arm;  \ 

And  if  that  man's  neck  was  broke  i 


6  SUSSEX  "  TlPTEEIiERS'  "  PLAY. 

ni  be  bound  to  put  it  together  again, 

Or  else  I  would  not  charge  you  one  farthing  to  be  paid. 
Nohle  Captain.  Well,  Doctor,  what's  your  fees? 
Doctor.  My  fee  is  nineteen  pounds  nineteen  shillings  and  eleven  pence 
three  farthings, 

And  half  that  money  I  demand  to-day. 
Nohle  Captain.  Stop,  Doctor,  stop  !  I  will  pay  you  in  the  morning. 
Doctor.  Morning?  what's  the  morning  to  do  with  me? 

I  will  take  my  horse  and  be  gone. 
Nohle  Captain.  Stop,  Doctor,  stop  !  here's  an  ass  for  you  to  ride. 
Doctor.  An  ass  !  go  ride  your  ass  yourself; 

A  horse  I  rode  here,  and  a  horse  I  will  ride  away. 
Nohle  Captain.  Here ;  stop,  Doctor,  stop  !  I'll  pay  you  in  the  evening. 
Doctor.  Now  you  talk  something  like  a  man. 
Nohle  Captain.  Well,  Doctor,  try  your  skill. 

Doctor.  Well,  I  have  a  small  box  of  pills  by  my  side  called  the 
Junipers; 

I  have  also  a  small  bottle  of  drops  called  the  Golden  Gloster 
Drops; 

I'll  put  one  drop  on  his  temple,  one  on  his  nose, 

Put  a  pill  in  his  mouth,  and  strike  a  light  all  over  his  body. 

Why  you  see  he  begins  to  move  already.  \^Turk  revives. 

Nohle  Captain.  Arise,  young  man,  and  try  to  stand, 

And  see  how  gently  you  can  walk. 
Doctor.  And  now  all  for  your  Noble  Captain  I  have  cure9  your  man, 

I  am  one  of  the  sons  of  the  seventh  son,* 

Born  in  High  Germany.    I  am  not  one  of  these  nmabout  doctors. 

What  I  do,  I  do  plainly  before  your  face, 

And  if  you  can't  believe  that,  it  is  a  very  hard  case. 
Enter  the  Prince  of  Peace. 
Prince  of  Peace.  In  comes  I  the  Prince  of  Peace  : 

*  The  healing  powers  of  a  seventh  son  are  well  known.  See  Folk-Medicine 
(W.  G.  Black),  pp.  136, 1.37,  &c.  The  writer's  brother,  Frank  J.  Sawyer  (of  New 
CJoUege,  Oxford),  is  a  seventh  son,  and,  when  a  child,  it  was  often  remarked  by 
Sussex  friends  that "  he  was  born  to  be  a  doctor."  The  prognostic  has  been 
fulfilled  in  a  singular  way  by  his  recently  graduating  as  Doctor  of  Music  ! 


The  very  first  year  that  I  was  born, 

A  cruel  Russian  war  begun.* 

Peace  !  ladies  and  gentlemen,  peace  !  I  call, 

For  I  am  come  to  save  you  all. 

Ladies  and  gentlemen,  let  your  voices  ring, 

Clap  your  hands  together,  and  let  us  all  sing. 

Enter  Johnny  Jack. 
Johnny  Jack,  In  comes  I  little  Johnny  Jack,t 
"With  my  wife  and  family  at  my  back. 
Money  I  want,  money  I  crave, 
If  you  don't  give  me  that  I  wish  you  in  your  grave. 


Mr.  Young  says  the  last  character  "  did  not  occur  in  the  regular 
*  mum,'  but  was  added  to  draw  coin."  He  further  remarks  :  "  In 
reference  to  the  *  Prince  of  Peace,'  I  think  I  recollect  reading  that  it 
was  not  uncommon  to  introduce  sacred  personages  by  way  of  moral 
into  these  outdoor  plays,  such  as  are  still  represented  on  the  Continent 
in  '  Passion  Plays.'  " 

Much  of  the  original  has  no  doubt  been  lost  or  corrupted,  and  the 
gaps  filled  up  with  incidents  suited  to  the  times  in  which  they  lived. 
In  each  version  "  St.  George"  appears  as  "  King  George."  This  no 
doubt  originated  during  the  last  century  from  a  confusion  of  the  saint 
with  the  reigning  monarch s. 

It  will  be  seen  on  comparison  that  the  Sussex  play  resembles  in 
outline  the  Hampshire  *'  Christmas  Mystery,"  published  in  Notes  and 
Queries,  2nd  Series,  xii.  493.  In  the  Sompting  version  (kindly  sent 
by  Mrs.  PuUen-Burry,  of  Rectory  House,  Sompting,  Sussex)  St. 
George,  after  referring  to  "having  won  the  King  of  Egypt's  daughter," 
goes  on  to  say  : — 

**  Therefore  if  any  man  dare  to  enter  this  place, 
I  will  cut  him  and  hack  him  as  small  as  dust  ; 
And  afterwards  send  him  to  a  cook's  shop 
To  be  made  into  mince-pie  crust." 

*  This  allusion  is  obscure. 

f  In  some  places  the  Christmas  mummers  are  callecl "  Johnny- Jacks." 


'8  SUSSEX 

It  is  yery  singular  that  in  the  remarkable  application,  in  the  spring 
of  1883,  by  the  Duke  of  Vallombrosa  for  a  criminal  information 
against  the  editor  of  Vanity  Fair  for  libel  in  stating  that  the  Duke's 
father  (who  was  an  army  pork  contractor)  had  put  the  bodies  of  dead 
soldiers  into  the  meat  casks,  counsel  should  have  mentioned  to  the 
Court  that  a  similar  accusation  had  been  made  against  St.  George, 
who  was  an  army  bacon  contractor  (vide  Times  report). 

The  conclusion  of  the  Sompting  version  is  not  so  threatening,  for 
the  speech  of  "  Johnny  Jack  "  proceeds  after  the  second  line  :— 
**  My  family  is  large,  but  I  am  small, 
So  every  little  helps  us  all. 
So  ladies  and  gentlemen,  just  at  your  ease, 
Put  your  hands  in  your  pockets 

And  give  the  poor  little  Christmas  boys  just  what  you 
please." 
Whilst  in  a  third  version  (supplied  by  a  Brighton  Tipteerer)  the 
last  character  says  : — 

"  In  comes  I  the  little  Sweep, 
All  the  money  I  gets  I  keep  ; 
In  my  pockets  bread  and  cheese, 
Ladies  and  gentlemen,  give  me  what  you  please. 
Christmas  comes  but  once  a  year, 
But  when  it  comes  it  brings  good  cheer: 
Roast  beef,  plum  pudding,  and  mince-pie, 
No  one  likes  it  better  than  I. 

Ladies  and  gentlemen,  I  wish  you  a  merry  Christmas 
And  a  happy  new  year  ; 
Not  forgetting  old  Father  Christmas, 
And  the  merry  Tipteers." 
It  seems  not  improbable  that  this  play  is  sometimes  performed  at 
other  times  of  the  year,  and  especially  on  May  Day. 

Frederick  E.  Sawyer,  F.R.Met.Soc. 


[Compare  a  paper  on  Christmas  Mummers  in  Dorsetshire,  by  J.  S.  Udal,  in 
Folk-Lore  Record,  vol.  iii.  part  i.  pp.  87-116.] 


PRINCE  UNEXPECTED. 


[The  story  "  Prince  Unexpected  "  is  from  the  Polish.  I  met  with  it  among 
A  Hundred  Simple  National  Slavonic  Tales  and  Stories  in  the  Original 
Dialects,  which  were  published  in  1865  by  the  late  K.  J.  Erben,  Archivarius  of 
the  old  town  of  Prague,  with  an  explanatory  vocabulary  in  the  Bohemian  (Czech) 
language,  as  a  "  Reading-Book "  for  Bohemians  wishing  to  make  themselves 
acquainted  with  the  other  Slavonic  dialects.  "Prince  Unexpected,"  0  Krolewiczu 
Niespodzianku,  is  taken  from  A.  J.  Glinski's  Bajarz  PolsJd  (Polish  Storyteller). 
"  Immortal  Bony  "  appears  again  in  a  Russian  story  from  the  Government  of 
Perm,  in  which  the  secret  of  his  immortality  is  discovered,  and  he  is  put  to 
death.— A.  H.  Weatislaw.] 


I  HE  RE  was  a  king  and  a  queen  who  had  been  married  for 
three  years,  but  had  no  children,  at  which  they  were  both 
much  distressed.  Once  upon  a  time  the  king  found 
himself  obliged  to  make  a  visit  of  inspection  round  his  do- 
minions ;  he  took  leave  of  his  queen,  set  off  and  was  not  at  home  for  eight 
months.  Towards  the  end  of  the  ninth  month  the  king  returned  from 
his  progress  through  his  country,  and  was  already  hard  by  his  capital 
city,  when,  as  he  journeyed  over  an  uninhabited  plain  during  the  most 
scorching  heat  of  summer,  he  felt  such  excessive  thirst  that  he  sent 
his  servants  round  about  to  see  if  they  could  find  water  anywhere 
and  let  him  know  of  it  at  once.  The  servants  dispersed  in  various 
directions,  sought  in  vain  for  a  whole  hour,  and  returned  without 
success  to  the  king.  The  thirst-tormented  king  proceeded  to  traverse 
the  whole  plain  far  and  wide  himself,  not  believing  that  there  was  not 
a  spring  somewhere  or  other  ;  on  he  rode,  and  on  a  level  spot,  on 
which  there  had  not  previously  been  any  water,  he  espied  a  well  with 
a  new  wooden  fence  round  it,  full  to  the  brim  with  spring  water,  in 
the  midst  of  which  floated  a  silver  cup  with  a  golden  handle.  The 
king  sprang  from  his  horse  and  reached  after  the  cup  with  his  right 
hand  ;   but   the  cup,  just   as  if  it  were  alive  and  had  eyes,  darted 


10  PRINCE  UNEXPECTED. 

quickly  on  one  aide  and  Hoated  again  by  itself.  The  king  knelt  down 
and  began  to  try  to  catch  it,  now  with  liis  right  hand,  now  with  his 
left,  but  it  moved  and  dodged  away  in  snch  a  manner  that,  not  being 
able  to  seize  it  with  one  hand,  he  tried  to  catch  it  with  both.  But 
scarcely  had  he  reached  out  with  both  hands  when  the  cup  dived  like 
a  fish,  and  floated  again  on  the  surface.  "  Dang  it !  "  thought  the 
king,  "  I  can't  help  myself  with  the  cup,  I'll  manage  without  it."  He 
then  bent  down  to  the  water,  which  was  as  clear  as  crystal  and  as  cold 
as  ice,  and  began  to  drink  in  his  thirst.  Meanwhile  his  long  beard, 
which  reached  do^\^l  to  his  girdle,  dipped  into  the  water.  When  he 
had  quenched  his  thirst,  he  wanted  to  get  up  again — something  was 
holding  his  beard  and  wouldn't  let  it  go.  He  pulled  once  and  again, 
but  it  was  of  no  use  ;  he  cried  out  therefore  in  anger,  "  Who's  there  ? 
let  go."  "  It's  I,  the  subterranean  king,  immortal  Bony,  and  I  shall 
not  let  go  till  you  give  me  that  which  you  left  unknowingly  at  home, 
and  which  you  do  not  expect  to  find  on  your  return. "  The  king 
looked  into  the  depth  of  the  well,  and  there  was  a  huge  head 
like  a  tub,  with  green  eyes  and  a  mouth  from  ear  to  ear,  which  was 
holding  the  king  by  the  beard  with  extended  claws  like  those  of  a 
crab,  and  was  laughing  mischievously.  The  king  thought  that  a 
thing,  of  which  he  had  not  known  before  starting,  and  which  he  did 
not  expect  on  his  return,  could  not  be  of  great  value,  so  he  said  to  the 
apparition,  "  I  give  it."  The  apparition  burst  with  laughter  and 
vanished  with  a  flash  of  fire,  and  with  it  vanished  also  the  well,  the 
water,  the  wooden  fence,  and  the  cup  ;  and  the  king  was  again  on  a 
hillock  by  a  little  wood  kneeling  on  dry  sand,  and  therewas  no  thing 
more.  The  king  got  up,  crossed  himself,  sprang  on  his  horse, 
hastened  to  his  attendants,  and  rode  on. 

In  a  week  or  may  be  a  fortnight  the  king  arrived  at  his  capital ; 
the  people  came  out  in  crowds  to  meet  him  ;  he  went  in  procession  to 
the  great  court  of  the  palace  and  entered  the  corridor.  In  the  corridor 
stood  the  queen  awaiting  him,  and  holding  close  to  her  bosom  a 
cushion;  on  which  lay  a  child,  beautiful  as  the  moon,  kicking  in 
swaddling-clothes.  The  king  recollected  himself,  sighed  painfully,  and 
said  within  himself  :  "  This  is  what  I  left  without  knowing  and  found 
without  expecting ! "     And  bitterly,  bitterly  did  he  weep.     All  mar- 


PRINCE  UNEXPECTED.  11 

veiled,  but  nobody  dared  to  ask  the  cause.  The  king  took  his  son, 
without  saying  a  word,  in  his  arms,  gazed  long  on  his  innocent  face  ; 
carried  him  into  the  palace  himself,  laid  him  in  the  cradle,  and, 
suppressing  his  sorrow,  devoted  himself  to  the  government  of  his  realm, 
but  was  never  again  cheerful  as  formerly,  since  he  was  perpetually 
tormented  by  the  thought  that  some  day  Bony  would  claim  his  son. 

Meanwhile  weeks,  months,  and  years  flowed  on,  and  no  one  came  for 
his  son.  The  prince,  named  "  Unexpected,"  grew  and  developed,  and 
eventually  became  a  handsome  youth.  The  king  also  in  course  of 
time  regained  his  usual  cheerfulness ;  and  forgot  what  had  taken 
place,  but  alas  !  every  body  did  not  forget  so  easily. 

Once  the  prince,  while  hunting  in  a  forest,  became  separated  from 
his  suite  and  found  himself  in  a  savage  wilderness.  Suddenly  there 
appeared  before  him  a  hideous  old  man  with  green  eyes,  who  said : 
**  How  do  you  do,  Prince  Unexpected  ?  You  have  made  me  wait  for 
you  a  long  time."  "  Who  are  you  ? "  "  That  you  will  find  out 
hereafter,  but  now,  when  you  return  to  your  father,  greet  him  from 
me,  and  tell  him  that  I  should  be  glad  if  he  would  close  accounts  with 
me,  for,  if  he  doesn't  soon  get  out  of  my  debt  of  himself,  he  will  repent 
it  bitterly."  After  saying  this  the  hideous  old  man  disappeared,  and 
the  prince  in  amazement  turned  his  horse,  rode  home  and  told  the  king 
his  adventure.  The  king  turned  as  pale  as  a  sheet,  and  revealed  the 
frightful  secret  to  his  son.  *'  Don't  cry,  father  !  "  replied  the  prince, 
"  it  isn't  a  great  misfortune  !  I  shall  manage  to  force  Bony  to  renounce 
the  right  over  me,  which  he  tricked  out  of  you  in  so  underhand  a 
manner,  and  if  in  the  course  of  a  year  I  do  not  return  it  will  be  a 
token  that  we  shall  see  each  other  no  more."  The  prince  prepared  for 
his  journey,  the  king  gave  him  a  suit  of  steel  armour,  a  sword,  and  a 
horse,  and  the  queen  hung  round  his  neck  a  cross  of  pure  gold.  At 
leave-taking  they  embraced  affectionately,  wept  heartily,  and  the  prince 
rode  off. 

On  he  rode  one  day,  two  days,  three  days,  and  at  the  end  of  the 
fourth  day  at  the  setting  of  the  sun  he  came  to  the  shore  of  the  sea, 
and  in  the  self-same  bay  espied  twelve  dresses,  white  as  snow,  though 
in  the  water,  as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach,  there  was  no  living  soul  to 
be  seen  ;  only  twelve  white  geese  were  swimming  at  a  distance  from  the 


12  PKINCE  UNEXPECTED. 

shore.  Curious  to  know  to  whom  they  belonged,  lie  took  one  of  the 
dresses,  let  his  horse  loose  in  a  meadow,  concealed  himself  in  a  neigh- 
bouring thicket,  and  waited  to  see  what  would  come  to  pass.  Thereupon 
the  geese,  after  disporting  themselves  on  the  sea,  swam  to  the  shore, 
eleven  of  them  went  to  the  dresses,  each  threw  herself  on  the  ground 
and  became  a  beautiful  damsel,  dressed  herself  with  speed,  and  flew  away 
into  the  plain.  The  twelfth  goose,  the  last  and  prettiest  of  all,  did 
not  venture  to  come  out  on  the  shore,  but  only  wistfully  stretched  out 
her  neck,  looking  on  all  sides.  On  seeing  the  prince  she  called  out 
with  a  human  voice  :  "  Prince  Unexpected,  give  me  my  dress  ;  I  will 
be  grateful  to  you  in  return."  The  prince  hearkened  to  her,  placed  the 
dress  on  the  grass,  and  modestly  turned  away  in  another  direction. 
The  goose  came  out  on  the  grass,  changed  herself  into  a  damsel,  dressed 
herself  hastily,  and  stood  before  the  prince ;  she  was  young  and  more 
beautiful  than  eye  had  seen  or  ear  heard  of.  Blushing,  she  gave  him 
her  white  hand,  and,  casting  her  eyes  down,  said  with  a  pleasing  voice  : 
"  I  thank  you,  good  prince,  for  hearkening  to  me  :  I  am  the  youngest 
daughter  of  immortal  Bony ;  he  has  twelve  young  daughters  and  rules 
in  the  subterranean  realm.  My  father,  prince,  has  long  been  expecting 
you  and  is  very  angry  ;  however  don't  grieve  and  don't  be  frightened, 
but  do  as  I  tell  you.  As  soon  as  you  see  King  Bony,  fall  at  once  on 
your  knees,  and,  paying  no  regard  to  his  outcry,  upbraiding,  and  threats, 
approach  him  boldly.  What  will  happen  afterwards  you  will  learn, 
but  now  we  must  part."  On  saying  this  the  princess  stamped  on  the 
ground  with  her  little  foot;  the  ground  sprang  open  at  once,  and 
they  descended  into  the  subterranean  realm,  right  into  Bony's  palace, 
which  shone  all  underground  brighter  than  our  sun.  The  prince 
stepped  boldly  into  the  reception-room.  Bony  was  sitting  on  a 
golden  throne  with  a  glittering  crown  on  his  head ;  his  eyes  gleamed 
like  two  saucers  of  green  glass  and  his  hands  were  like  the  nippers  of  a 
crab.  As  soon  as  he  espied  him  at  a  distance,  the  prince  fell  on  his 
knees,  and  Bony  yelled  so  horribly  that  the  vaults  of  the  subterranean 
dominion  quaked  ;  but  the  prince  boldly  moved  on  his  knees  towards 
the  throne,  and,  when  he  was  only  a  few  paces  from  it,  the  king  smiled 
and  said:  "Thou  hast  marvellous  luck  in  succeeding  in  making  me 
smile  ;  remain  in  our  subterranean  realm,  but  before  thou  becomest  a 


PRINCE  UNEXPECTED.  13 

true  citizen  thereof  tliou  art  bound  to  execute  three  coumiands  of 
mine  ;  but  because  it  is  late  to-day,  we  will  begin  to-morrow ;  mean- 
while go  to  thy  room." 

The  prince  slept  comfortably  in  the  room  assigned  to  him,  and  early 
on  the  morrow  Bony  summoned  him  and  said  :  "  We  will  see,  prince, 
what  thou  canst  do.  In  the  course  of  the  following  night  build  me  a 
palace  of  pure  marble  ;  let  the  windows  be  of  crystal,  the  roof  of  gold, 
an  elegant  garden  round  about  it,  and  in  the  garden  seats  and  fountains ; 
if  thou  buildest  it,  thou  wilt  gain  thyself  my  love;  if  not,  I  shall 
command  thy  head  to  be  cut  off."  The  prince  heard  it,  returned  to  his 
apartment,  and  was  sitting  mournfully  thinking  of  the  death  that 
threatened  him,  when  outside  at  the  window  a  bee  came  buzzing  and 
said  :  "  Let  me  in !  "  He  opened  the  lattice,  in  flew  the  bee,  and  the 
princess,  Bony's  youngest  daughter,  appeared  before  the  wondering 
prince.  **  What  are  you  thus  thinking  about,  Prince  Unexpected  ?  " 
•*  Alas  !  I  am  thinking  that  your  father  wishes  to  deprive  me  of  life." 
"  Don't  be  afraid  !  lie  down  to  sleep,  and  when  you  get  up  to-morrow 
morning  your  palace  will  be  ready." 

So,  too,  it  came  to  pass.  At  dawn  the  prince  came  out  of  his  room 
and  espied  a  more  beautiful  palace  than  he  had  ever  seen,  and  Bony, 
when  he  saw  it,  wondered  and  wouldn't  believe  his  own  eyes.  "  Well ! 
thou  hast  won  this  time,  and  now  thou  hast  my  second  command. 
I  shall  place  my  twelve  daughters  before  thee  to-morrow ;  if  thou  dost 
not  guess  which  of  them  is  the  youngest,  thou  wilt  place  thy  head 
beneath  the  axe."  "  I  unable  to  recognize  the  youngest  princess  !  " 
said  the  prince  in  his  room:  '*  What  difficulty  can  there  be  in  that  ?  " 
"  This,"  answered  the  princess,  flying  into  the  room  in  the  shape  of  a 
bee,  "  that  if  I  don't  help  you,  you  won't  recognize  me,  for  we  are  all 
so  alike  that  even  our  father  only  distinguishes  us  by  our  dress." 
"  What  am  I  to  do  ?  '•  "  What  indeed  ?  That  will  be  the  youngest 
over  whose  right  eye  you  espy  a  ladycow  ;  only  look  well — Adieu !  " 
On  the  morrow  King  Bony  again  summoned  Prince  Unexpected. 
The  princesses  stood  in  a  row  side  by  side,  all  dressed  alike  and  with 
eyes  cast  down.  The  prince  looked  and  marvelled  how  alike  all  the 
princesses  were  ;  he  went  past  them  once,  twice— he  did  not  find  the 
appointed  token  ;  the  third  time  he  saw  a  ladycow  over  the  eyebrow  of 


14  PRINCE  UNEXPECTED. 

one  and  cried  out — "  This  is  the  youngest  princess  ! "  "  How  the 
deuce  liave  you  guessed  it?''  said  Bony  angrily:  "There  must  be 
some  trickery  here.  I  must  deal  with  your  lordship  diflferently.  In 
three  hours  you  will  come  here  again  and  will  show  your  cleverness  in 
my  presence.  I  shall  light  a  straw  and  you  will  stitch  a  pair  of  boots 
before  it  goes  out,  and  if  you  don't  do  it  you  will  perish." 

The  prince  returned  desponding  and  found  the  bee  already  in  his 
apartment.  **  Why,  pensive  again,  prince  ?  "  "  How  shouldn't  I  be 
pensive,  when  your  father  wants  me  to  stitch  him  a  pair  of  boots,  for 
what  sort  of  cobbler  am  I  ?  "  **  What  else  will  you  do  ?  "  "  What 
am  I  to  do  ?  I  shan't  stitch  the  boots,  and  I'm  not  afraid  of  death — 
one  can  but  die  once!"  "No,  prince,  you  shall  not  die!  I  will 
endeavour  to  rescue  you,  and  we  will  either  escape  together  or  perish 
together  !  We  must  flee — there's  nothing  else  to  be  done."  Saying 
this  the  princess  spat  on  one  of  the  window-panes,  and  the  spittle 
immediately  froze.  She  then  went  out  of  the  room  with  the  prince, 
locked  the  door  after  her,  and  threw  the  key  far  away  ;  then,  taking 
each  other  by  the  hands,  they  ascended  rapidly,  and  in  a  moment 
found  themselves  on  the  very  spot  whence  they  had  descended  into  the 
subterranean  realm  ;  there  was  the  self-same  sea,  the  self-same  shore 
overgrown  with  rushes  and  thornbushes,  the  self-same  fresh  meadow, 
and  in  the  meadow  cantered  the  prince's  well-fed  horse,  who,  as  soon 
as  he  descried  his  rider,  came  galloping  straight  to  him.  The  prince 
didn't  stop  long  to  think,  but  sprang  on  his  horse,  the  princess  seated 
herself  behind  him,  and  off  they  set  as  swift  as  an  arrow. 

King  Bony  at  the  appointed  hour  did  not  wait  for  Prince  Unexpected, 
but  sent  to  ask  him  why  he  did  not  appear.  Finding  the  door  locked, 
the  servants  knocked  at  it  vigorously,  and  the  spittle  answered  them 
from  the  middle  of  the  room  in  the  prince's  voice,  "Anon!"  The 
servants  carried  this  answer  to  the  king ;  he  waited,  waited,  no  prince  ; 
he  therefore  again  sent  the  same  servants,  who  heard  the  same  answer  : 
"  Anon !"  and  carried  what  they  had  heard  to  the  king.  "What's 
this?  Does  he  mean  to  make  fun  of  me?  "  shouted  the  king  in  wrath  : 
*'  Go  at  once,  break  the  door  open  and  conduct  him  to  me ! "  The 
servants  hurried  off,  broke  open  the  door,  and  rushed  in — what  indeed  ! 
there  was  nobody  there,  and   the  spittle  on  the  pane  of  glass  was 


PRINCE  UNEXPECTED.  15 

splitting  with  laughter  at  them.  Bony  all  but  burst  with  rage,  and 
ordered  them  all  to  start  off  in  pursuit  of  the  prince,  threatening  them 
with  death  if  they  returned  empty-handed.  They  sprang  on  horse- 
back and  hastened  away  after  the  prince  and  princess. 

Meanwhile  Prince  Unexpected  and  the  princess,  Bony's  daughter, 
were  hurrying  away  on  their  spirited  horse,  and  amidst  their  rapid 
flight  heard  "  tramp,  tramp,"  behind  them.  The  prince  sprang  from 
the  horse,  put  his  ear  to  the  ground  and  said  "  They  are  pursuing  us." 
"  Then,"  said  the  princess,  "  we  have  no  time  to  lose."  Instantly  she 
transformed  herself  into  a  river,  changed  the  prince  into  a  bridge,  the 
horse  into  a  raven,  and  the  grand  highway  beyond  the  bridge  divided 
into  three  roads.  Swiftly  on  the  fresh  track  hastened  the  pursuers, 
came  on  to  the  bridge,  and  stood  stupified  ;  they  saw  the  track  up  to  the 
bridge,  but  beyond  it  disappeared,  and  the  highway  divided  into  three 
roads.  There  was  nothing  to  be  done  but  to  return,  and  they  came 
with  nought.  Bony  shouted  with  rage  and  cried  out :  "A  bridge  and 
a  river  :  it  was  them,  how  was  it  that  ye  did  not  guess  it  ?  Back,  and 
don't  return  without  them  !"     The  pursuers  recommenced  the  pursuit. 

"  I  hear  tramp,  tramp  ! "  whispered  the  princess,  Bony's  daughter, 
affrightedly  to  Prince  Unexpected,  who  sprang  from  the  saddle,  put 
his  ear  to  the  ground  and  replied :  "  They  are  making  haste  and  are 
not  far  off."  That  instant  the  princess  and  prince  and  with  them 
also  their  horse  became  a  gloomy  forest,  in  which  were  roads,  bye-roads, 
and  footpaths  without  number,  and  on  one  of  them  it  seemed  that  two 
riders  were  hastening  on  a  horse.  Following  the  fresh  track,  the 
pursuers  came  up  to  the  forest,  and  when  they  espied  the  fugitives  in 
it  they  hastened  speedily  after  them.  On  and  on  hurried  the 
pursuers,  seeing  continually  before  them  a  thick  forest,  a  wide  road 
and  the  fugitives  on  it;  now,  now  they  thought  to  overtake  them,  when 
the  fugitives  and  the  thick  forest  suddenly  vanished  and  they  found 
themselves  at  the  self-same  place  whence  they  had  started  in  pursuit. 
They  returned  therefore  again  to  Bony  empty-handed.  "  A  horse,  a 
horse !  I'll  go  myself !  they  won't  escape  out  of  my  hands ! "  yelled 
Bony,  foaming  at  the  mouth,  and  started  in  pursuit. 

Again  the  princess  said  to  Prince  Unexpected  "  Methinks  they  are 
pursuing  us,  and  this  time  it  is  Bony,  my  father,  himself,  but  the  first 


16  PRINCE  UNEXPECTED. 

church  is  the  boundary  of  liis  dominion,  and  he  won't  be  able  to 
pursue  us  further.  Give  me  your  golden  cross."  The  prince  took  off 
his  affectionate  mother's  gift  and  gave  it  to  the  princess,  and  in  a 
moment  she  was  transformed  into  a  church,  he  into  the  priest,  and  the 
horse  into  the  bell ;  and  that  instant  up  came  Bony.  "  Monk  ! " 
Bony  asked  the  priest,  "  hast  thou  not  seen  some  travellers  on  horse- 
back ?  "  "  Only  just  now  Prince  Unexpected  rode  this  way  with  the 
princess,  Bony's  daughter.  They  came  into  the  church,  performed 
their  devotions,  gave  money  for  a  mass  for  your  good  health,  and 
ordered  me  to  present  their  respects  to  you  if  you  should  ride  this 
way."  Bony,  too,  returned  empty-handed.  But  Prince  Unexpected 
rode  on  with  the  princess,  Bony's  daughter,  in  no  further  fear  of 
pursuit. 

They  rode  gently  on  when  they  saw  before  them  a  beautiful  town, 
into  which  the  prince  felt  an  irresistible  longing  to  go.  "  Prince," 
said  the  princess,  "  don't  go ;  my  heart  forbodes  misfortune  there." 
"  I'll  only  ride  there  for  a  short  time,  and  look  round  the  town,  and 
we'll  then  proceed  on  our  journey."  "  It's  easy  enough  to  ride  thither, 
but  will  it  be  as  easy  to  return?  Nevertheless,  as  you  absolutely 
desire  it,  go,  and  I  will  remain  here  in  the  form  of  a  white  stone  till 
your  return ;  be  cinmmspect,  my  beloved ;  the  king,  the  queen,  and  the 
princess,  their  daughter,  will  come  out  to  meet  you,  and  with  them  will 
be  a  beautiful  little  boy — don't  kiss  him,  for,  if  you  do,  you  will  forget 
me  at  once,  and  will  never  set  eyes  on  me  more  in  the  world — I  shall 
die  of  despair.  I  will  wait  for  you  here  on  the  road  for  three  days, 
and  if  on  the  third  day  you  don't  return,  remember  that  I  perish,  and 
perish  all  through  you."  The  prince  took  leave  and  rode  to  the 
town,  and  the  princess  transformed  herself  into  a  white  stone  and 
remained  on  the  road. 

One  day  passed,  a  second  passed,  the  third  also  passed,  and  nothing 
was  seen  of  the  prince.  Poor  princess !  He  had  not  obeyed  her 
counsel;  in  the  town,  the  king,  the  queen,  and  the  princess  their 
daughter,  had  come  out  to  meet  him,  and  with  them  walked  a  little 
boy,  a  curly-headed  chatterbox,  with  eyes  as  bright  as  stars.  The 
child  rushed  straight  into  the  prince's  arms,  who  was  so  captivated 
by  the  beauty  of  the  lad  that  he  forgot  everything,  and  kissed  the 


PRINCE  UNEXPECTED.  17 

child  affectionately.  That  moment  his  memory  was  darkened,  and  he 
utterly  forgot  the  princess,  Bony's  daughter. 

The  princess  lay  as  a  white  stone  by  the  way-side,  one  day,  two 
days,  and  when  the  third  day  passed,  and  the  prince  did  not  return 
from  the  town,  she  transformed  herself  into  a  corn-flower  and  sprang 
in  among  the  rye  by  the  roadside.  "  There  I  shall  stay  by  the  road- 
side ;  maybe  some  passer-by  will  pull  me  up  or  trample  me  into  the 
ground,"  said  she,  and  tears  like  dew-drops  glittered  on  the  azure 
petals.  Just  then  an  old  man  came  along  the  road,  espied  the  corn- 
flower in  the  rye  by  the  wayside,  was  captivated  by  its  beauty,  extracted 
it  carefully  from  the  ground,  carried  it  into  his  dwelling,  set  it  ia  a 
flower-pot,  watered  it,  and  began  to  tend  it  attentively.  But — O 
marvel ! — ever  since  the  time  that  the  cornflower  was  brought  into  his 
dwelling,  all  kind  of  wonders  began  to  happen  in  it.  Scarcely  was  the 
old  man  awake,  when  every  thing  in  the  house  was  already  set  in 
order,  nowhere  was  the  least  atom  of  dust  remaining.  At  noon  he 
came  home — dinner  was  all  ready,  the  table  set,  he  had  but  to  sit  down 
and  eat  as  much  as  he  wanted.  The  old  man  wondered  and  wondered, 
till  at  last  terror  took  possession  of  him,  and  he  betook  himself  for 
advice  to  an  old  witch  of  his  acquaintance  in  the  neighbourhood.  "Do 
this,"  the  witch  advised  him:  "get  up  before  the  first  morning  dawn, 
before  the  cocks  crow  to  announce  daylight,  and  notice  diligently  what 
begins  to  stir  first  in  the  house,  and  that  which  does  stir,  cover  with 
this  napkin:  what  will  happen  further,  you  will  see." 

The  old  man  didn't  close  his  eyes  the  whole  night,  and  as  soon  as 
the  first  gleam  appeared  and  things  began  to  be  visible  in  the  house 
he  saw  how  the  cornflower  suddenly  moved  in  the  flower-pot,  sprang  out, 
and  began  to  stir  about  the  room;  when  simultaneously  everything 
began  to  put  itself  in  its  place ;  the  dust  began  to  sweep  itself  clean 
away,  and  the  fire  kindled  itself  in  the  stove.  The  old  man  sprang 
cleverly  out  of  his  bed  and  placed  the  cloth  on  the  flower  as  it 
endeavoured  to  escape,  when  lo!  the  flower  became  a  beautiful  damsel 
— the  princess,  Bony's  daughter.  "  What  have  you  done  ?  "  cried 
the  princess.  "  Why  have  you  brought  life  back  again  to  me  ?  My 
betrothed,  Prince  Unexpected,  has  forgotten  me,  and  therefore  life  has 
become  distasteful  to  me."     "  Your  betrothed,  Prince  Unexpected,  is 

Vol.  2.— Part  1.  c 


18  PRINCE  UNEXPECTED. 

going  to  be  married  to-day ;  the  wedding  feast  is  ready  and  the  guests 
are  beginning  to  assemble." 

The  princess  wept,  but  after  awhile  dried  her  tears,  dressed  herself 
in  frieze,  and  went  into  the  town  like  a  village  girl.  She  came  to  the 
royal  kitchen  ;  there,  there  was  great  noise  and  bustle.  She  went  up 
to  the  clerk  of  the  kitchen  with  humble  and  attractive  grace,  and  said 
in  a  sweet  voice — "  Dear  sir,  do  me  one  favour  ;  allow  me  to  make 
a  wedding-cake  for  Prince  Unexpected."  Occupied  with  work,  the 
first  impulse  of  the  clerk  of  the  kitchen  was  to  give  the  girl  a  rebuff, 
but  when  he  looked  at  her  the  words  died  on  his  lips  and  he  answered 
kindly — "  Ah,  my  beauty  of  beauties  !  do  what  you  will ;  I  will  hand 
the  prince  your  cake  myself."  The  cake  was  soon  baked,  and  all  the 
invited  guests  were  sitting  at  table.  The  clerk  of  the  kitchen  himself 
placed  a  huge  cake  on  a  silver  dish  before  the  prince  ;  but  scarce  had 
the  prince  made  a  cut  in  the  side  of  it  when  lo  !  an  unheard-of 
marvel  displayed  itself  in  presence  of  all.  A  grey  tom-pigeon  and  a 
white  hen-pigeon  came  out  of  the  cake  ;  the  tom-pigeon  walked  along 
the  table,  and  the  hen-pigeon  walked  after  him,  cooing: — 

"  Stay,  stay,  my  pigeonet,  O  stay! 
Don't  from  thy  true  love  flee  away  ; 
My  faithless  lover  I  pursue, 
Prince  Unexpected  like  unto, 
Who  Bony's  daughter  did  betray." 

Scarcely  had  Prince  Unexpected  heard  this  cooing  of  the  pigeon, 
when  he  regained  his  lost  recollection,  bounced  from  the  table,  rushed 
to  the  door,  and  behind  the  door  the  princess,  Bony's  daughter,  took 
him  by  the  hand ;  they  went  together  down  the  corridor,  and  before 
them  stood  a  horse  saddled  and  bridled. 

Why  delay  ?  Prince  Unexpected  and  the  princess,  Bony's 
daughter,  sprang  on  the  horse,  started  on  the  road,  and  at  last  arrived 
happily  in  the  realm  of  Prince  Unexpected's  father.  The  king  and 
queen  received  them  with  joy  and  merriment,  and  didn't  wait  long 
before  they  prepared  them  a  magnificent  wedding,  the  like  of  which 
eye  never  saw  and  ear  never  heard  of, 

A.  H.  Wratislaw. 


IMPOUNDING  WILD  BIRDS. 


HE  following  legend,  copied  from  the  Parochial  History  of 
Saint  A^eots  in  Cornwall,  by  James  Michel!,  1833,  pp. 
137-138,  seems  a  fitting  pendant  to  those  mentioned  by 
Mr.  Peacock  in  the  last  number  of  the  Folk-Lore  Journal 
(i.  379):  — 

"  The  saint  [Neotus]  observing  that  the  inhabitants  of  Guerryer 
Stoke  [now  St.  Neots]  paid  little  or  no  regard  to  their  religious 
duties,  and  seldom  attended  divine  worship  on  the  sabbath  day, 
remonstrated  with  them  on  such  a  serious  breach  of  the  law  of  God 
delivered  to  them  in  the  fourth  commandment,  and  exhorted  them 
in  the  most  earnest  manner  to  amendment  of  life,  in  order  to  obtain 
eternal  salvation.  They  at  once  acknowledged  the  justice  of  the 
saint's  remonstrance,  but  palliated  it  by  averring  that  the  crows,  and 
other  birds  of  prey,  committed  such  depredations  on  their  property, 
and  in  their  corn-fields,  on  the  Sunday,  that  it  required  their  con- 
tinued attention  to  drive  them  away  and  disperse  them  ;  and,  but  for 
this  circumstance,  they  would  not  have  neglected  to  attend  and 
receive  his  instructions  every  returning  Sabbath.  The  saint  having 
considered  the  matter,  peremptorily  directed  all  his  parishioners  duly 
to  attend  divine  service  in  his  church,  and  promised,  on  their  com- 
pliance with  his  commands,  to  prevent  those  voracious  birds  from 
injuring  their  property  by  any  future  depredations  during  such  their 
attendance.  The  parishioners  complied  with  the  saint's  injunction, 
and  became  exceedingly  regular  in  the  performance  of  their  sacred 
duties  on  the  sabbath  day,  when,  lo  !  a  miracle  was  eflfected  :  the 
saint  caused  the  whole  of  those  feathered  plunderers  to  come  to  an 
enclosure,  which  he  formed  on  the  common  near  the  village,  every 
Sunday,  and  made  them  continue  there  impounded  during  the  whole 
time  of  the  church  service,  even  from  morn  till  eve.     The  enclosure 

C  2 


20  TWO  FOLK- TALES. 

formed  by  the  saint  for  their  confinement  is  still  shown  on  the 
common  west  of  the  village,  and  bears  the  denomination  of  the 
*  Crow  Pound '  to  this  day :  it  contains  about  a  quarter  of  an  acre 
of  land  surrounded  by  a  mound  of  earth." 

I  learn  from  the  Vicar  of  St.  Neots,  who  has  kindly  written  me  on 
the  subject  during  the  present  month,  that  the  enclosure  known  as 
the  "  Crow  Pound  '*  is  still  discernible,  and  that  the  older  inhabitants 
still  call  it  by  that  name. 

Wm.  Pengelly. 
Torquay,  10th  December,  1883. 


TWO  FOLK-TALES, 

Told  by  a  Herefordshire  Squire,  1845-6. 

|HEN  I  was  a  child,"  writes  his  daughter  (27  June,  1882), 
"  my  father  used  to  tell  me  the  stories  of  Kcntsham  Bell 
and  the  King  of  the  Cats,  as  they  were  told  him  by  his 
nurse,  who  is  now  living  near  Ross,  and  is  upwards  of 
ninety  years  of  age." 

Kentsham  Bell. 

Great  Tom  of  Kentsham  was  the  greatest  bell  ever  brought  to 
England,  but  it  never  reached  Kentsham  safely,  nor  hung  in  any 
English  tower.  Where  Kentsham  is  I  cannot  tell  you,  but  long,  long 
ago  the  good  folk  of  the  place  determined  to  have  a  larger  and  finer 
bell  in  their  steeple  than  any  other  parish  could  boast.  At  that  time 
there  was  a  famous  bell-foundry  abroad,  where  all  the  greatest  bells 
were  cast,  and  thither  the  Kentsham  people  sent  to  order  their  famous 
bell,  and  thither  too  sent  many  others  who  wanted  greater  bells  than 
could  be  cast  in  England.     And  so  it  came  to  pass  at  length  that 


TWO  FOLK-TALES.  21 

Groat  Tom  of  Lincoln,  and  Great  Tom  of  York,  and  Great  Tom  of 
Christchnrcli,  and  Great  Tom  of  Kentsliara,  were  all  founded  at  the 
same  time,  and  all  embarked  on  board  the  same  vessel,  and  carried 
safely  to  the  shore  of  dear  old  England.  Then  they  set  about  landing 
them,  and  this  was  anxious  work,  but  little  by  little  it  was  done,  and 
Tom  of  Lincoln,  Tom  of  York,  Tom  of  Christchurch,  were  safely 
laid  on  English  ground.  And  then  came  the  turn  of  Tom  of  Kents- 
ham,  which  was  the  greatest  Tom  of  all.  Little  by  little  they  raised 
him,  and  prepared  to  draw  him  to  the  shore  ;  but  just  in  the  midst 
of  the  work  the  captain  grew  so  anxious  and  excited  that  he  swore  an 
oath.  That  very  moment  the  ropes  which  held  the  bell  snapped  in  two, 
and  Great  Tom  of  Kentsham  slid  over  the  ship's  side  into  the  water, 
and  rolled  away  to  the  bottom  of  the  sea. 

Then  the  people  went  to  the  cunning  man  and  asked  him  what 
they  should  do.  And  he  said,  "  Take  six  yoke  of  white  milch-kine, 
which  have  never  borne  the  yoke,  and  take  fresh  withy  bands  which 
have  never  been  used  before,  and  let  no  man  speak  a  word  either  good 
or  bad  till  the  bell  is  at  the  top  of  the  hill." 

So  they  took  six  yoke  of  white  milch-kine,  which  had  never  borne 
the  yoke,  and  harnessed  them  with  fresh  withy-bands  which  had  never 
been  used,  and  bound  these  to  the  bell  as  it  lay  in  the  shallow  water, 
and  long  it  was  ere  they  could  move  it.  But  still  the  kine  struggled 
and  pulled,  and  the  withy-bands  held  firm,  and  at  last  the  bell  was  on 
dry  ground.  Slowly,  slowly  they  drew  it  up  the  hill,  moaning  and 
groaning  with  unearthly  sounds  as  it  went;  slowly,  slowly,  and  no 
one  spoke,  and  they  nearly  reached  the  top  of  the  hill.  Now  the 
captain  had  been  wild  with  grief  when  he  saw  that  he  had  caused  his 
precious  freight  to  be  lost  in  the  waters  just  as  they  had  reached  the 
shore  ;  and,  when  he  beheld  it  recovered  again  and  so  nearly  placed 
in  safety,  he  could  not  contain  his  joy,  but  sang  out  merrily, 

"  In  spite  of  all  the  devils  in  hell 
We  have  got  to  land  old  Kentsham  Bell." 

Instantly  the  withy  bands  broke  in  the  midst,  and  the  bell  bounded 
back  again  down  the  sloping  hillside,  rolling  over  and  over,  faster  and 
faster,  with   unearthly  clanging,  till  it  sank  far  away   in   the  very 


2i  TWO  FOLK-TALES. 

depths  of  the  sea.  And  no  man  has  ever  seen  it  since,  but  many 
liave  heard  it  tolling  beneath  the  waves,  and  if  you  go  there  you  may 
hear  it  too.* 

The  Kino  of  the  Cats. 

Many  years  ago,  long  before  shooting  in  Scotland  was  a  fashion  as 
it  is  now,  two  young  men  spent  the  autumn  in  the  very  far  north, 
living  in  a  lodge  far  from  other  houses,  with  an  old  woman  to  cook 
for  them.  Her  cat  and  their  own  dogs  formed  all  the  rest  of  the 
liousehold. 

One  afternoon  the  elder  of  the  two  young  men  said  he  would  not 
go  out,  and  the  younger  one  went  alone,  to  follow  the  path  of  the 
previous  day's  sport  looking  for  missing  birds,  and  intending  to 
return  home  before  the  early  sunset.  However,  he  did  not  do  so, 
and  the  elder  man  became  very  uneasy  as  he  watched  and  waited  in 
vain  till  long  after  their  usual  supper-time.  At  last  the  young  man 
returned,  wet  and  exhausted,  nor  did  he  explain  his  unusual  lateness 
until,  after  supper,  they  were  seated  by  the  fire  with  their  pipes,  the 
dogs  lying  at  their  feet,  and  the  old  woman's  black  cat  sitting 
gravely  with  half-shut  eyes  on  the  hearth  between  them.  Then  the 
young  man  began  as  follows  :  — 

"  You  must  be  wondering  what  made  me  so  late.  I  have  had  a 
carious  adventure  to-day.  I  hardly  know  what  to  say  about  it.  I 
went,  as  I  told  you  I  should,  along  our  yesterday's  route.  A  moun- 
tain fog  came  on  just  as  I  was  about  to  turn  homewards,  and  I 
completely  lost  my  way.  I  wandered  about  for  a  long  time,  not 
knowing  where  I  was,  till  at  last  I  saw  a  light,  and  made  for  it, 
hoping  to  get  help.  As  I  came  near  it,  it  disappeared,  and  I  found 
myself  close  to  a  large  old  oak-tree.  I  climbed  into  the  branches  the 
better  to  look  for  the  light,  and,  behold  !  it  was  beneath  me,  inside 
the  hollow  trunk  of  the  tree.  I  seemed  to  be  looking  down  into  a 
church,  where  a  funeral  was   in   the   act  of  taking  place.     I  heard 


♦  Parallel  stories  in  Shropshire  Iblh-Lorr,  pp.  67,  68,  74.  Both  this  and  the 
followin[ij  legend  bear,  as  might  be  expected,  the  impress  of  the  educated  minds 
through  which  they  have  reached  us. 


NOTES   AND   QUERIES.  23 

singing,  and  saw  a  coffin,  surrounded  by  torches,  all  carried  by  — — 
But  I  know  you  won't  believe  me  if  I  tell  you  ! " 

His  friend  eagerly  begged  him  to  go  on,  and  laid  down  his  pipe  to 
listen.  The  dogs  were  sleeping  quietly,  but  the  cat  was  sitting  up 
apparently  listening  as  attentively  as  the  man,  and  both  young  men 
involuntarily  turned  their  eyes  towards  him.  "  Yes,"  proceeded  the 
absentee,  "  it  is  perfectly  true.  The  coffin  and  the  torches  were  both 
borne  by  cats,  and  upon  the  coffin  were  marked  a  crown  and  sceptre  !" 
He  got  no  further ;  the  cat  started  up  shrieking,  "  By  Jove  !  old 
Peter's  dead  !  and  I'm  the  King  o'  the  Cats  ! "  rushed  up  the 
chimney  and  was  seen  no  more,* 

Charlotte  S.  Burne. 


NOTES  AND  QUERIES. 

All  Hallow  Een.— In  Dugdale's  Diary,  p.  104,  1658  (at  end  of 
book),  is  the  following  :— "On  All  Hallow  Even  the  master  of  the 
family  antiently  used  to  carry  a  bunch  of  straw,  fired,  about  his  corne, 
saying,— 

*  Fire  and  red  low 
Light  on  my  teen  low.' "  J.  H.  KouND. 

Why  the  Cliflfs  of  England  are  White. — "  Once  upon  a  time  a 
great  ship  from  Norway  came  down  into  these  seas,  and  she  was  so 
big  that  she  could  not  get  through  the  Straits,  but  stuck  quite  fast. 
The  captain  then  said  to  the  crew,  *  Soap  her  sides,  my  men !  *  and 
they  soaped,  and  soaped,  until  she  could  slip  through  quite  easily ; 
but  she  left  the  soap  upon  the  cliffs,  and  ever  since  they  have  been 
white  as  snow." — I  quote  this  from  Her  Majesty's  Bern,  by  Elizabeth 
Harcourt  Mitchell,  1884  (1883).     Is  it  a  genuine  piece  of  folk-lore? 

James  Britten. 

New  England  Superstitions. — Superstitions  die  slowly,  and  even 
after  they  have  lost  all  real  vitality  they  linger  like  haunting  shades 

♦  References  to  parallel  stories  in  Shropshire  Folk-Lore,  p.  52,  note. 


24  NOTES  AND  QUERIES. 

around  the  scenes  of  their  former  activities.  Go  into  the  distant 
liamlets  and  bye-places  among  the  hills,  and  you  will  still  find  people 
who  quote,  even  if  they  do  not  really  credit,  such  omens  as  these : 
White  specks  on  the  nails  are  lucky.  Whosoever  reads  epitaphs  loses 
his  memory.  To  rock  the  cradle  when  empty  is  injurious  to  the  child. 
To  eat  while  a  bell  is  tolling  for  a  funeral  causes  tooth-ache.  The 
crowing  of  a  hen  indicates  some  approaching  disaster.  When  a  mouse 
gnaws  a  gown  some  misfortune  may  be  apprehended.  He  who  has 
teeth  wide  asunder  must  seek  his  fortune  in  some  distant  land.  If  a 
child  less  than  twelve  months  old  be  brought  into  a  cellar  he  becomes 
fearful  for  life.  When  children  play  soldier  on  the  hillside  it  forbodes 
the  approach  of  war.  A  child  grows  proud  if  suffered  to  look  into  a 
mirror  while  less  than  twelve  months  old.  He  who  proposes  moving 
into  a  new  house  must  send  in  beforehand  bread  and  a  new  broom. 
Whoever  sneezes  at  an  early  hour  either  hears  some  news  or  receives 
some  presents  the  same  day.  The  first  tooth  cast  by  the  child  should 
be  swallowed  by  the  mother  to  ensure  a  new  growth  of  teeth.  But- 
toning the  coat  awry,  or  drawing  on  stockings  inside  out,  causes 
matters  to  go  wrong  during  the  day.  By  bending  the  head  to  the 
hollow  of  the  arm  the  initial  letter  of  the  name  of  one's  future  spouse 
is  represented.  When  women  are  stuffing  beds  the  men  should  not 
remain  in  the  house,  otherwise  the  feathers  will  come  through  the 
ticks.  When  a  stranger  enters  a  room  he  should  be  obliged  to  seat 
himself,  if  only  for  a  moment,  as  he  otherwise  takes  away  the  chil- 
dren's sleep  with  him.  A  dog  scratching  on  the  floor  or  howling  in  a 
particular  manner  and  owls  hooting  in  the  neighbourhood  of  the  house 
indicate  an  approaching  death. — The  Weekly  Free  Press ^  Sept.  9, 1882. 

Signs  and  Prognostics.— 

"  Wise  Gosling,  did  but  heare  the  scrich-owle  crye, 
And  told  his  wife,  and  straight  a  pigge  did  dye. 
Another  time,  (after  that  scuruy  Owle) 
When  Ball  his  Dogge,  at  twelne  a  clocke  did  howle, 
He  iogd  his  wife,  and  ill  Incke  Madge  did  say, 
And  Fox  by  morning  stole  a  Goose  away. 
Besides  he  knowes  fowle  weather,  raine  or  haile, 
Euen  by  the  wagging  of  his  dun  Cowes  tayle. 


NOTES  AND  QUERIES.  25 

When  any  Theeues,  his  Hens  and  Duckes  pursewe, 
He  knowes  it  by  the  Candles  burning  blew. 
Or  if  a  Rauen  cry,  iust  or'e  his  head, 
Some  in  the  Towne  have  lost  their  mayden  head. 
For  losse  of  Cattell,  and  for  fngitiues, 
Heele  find  out  with  a  Sine,  and  rusty  Kniues. 
His  good  dayes  are,  when's  Chaffer  is  well  sold, 
And  bad  dayes,  when  his  wife  doth  brail  and  scold." 
—Rowlands'  More  Knaues  Yet?  (c.  1613),  p.  20,  of  Hunterian  Club's  Reprint. 

Isle   of  Wight   Custom. — There   is  a  custom  still  retained   here 

[Yarmouth,  Isle  of  Wight]   (peculiar    to  this    place  only  and  not 

common  in  other  parts  of  the  kingdom)  of  the  children's  singing  on 

New  Year's  Day,  wassal,  or  wassail,  from  the  Saxon,  "  Health  to  you": 

**  Wassal,  wassal,  to  our  town  ! 

The  cup  is  white,  and  the  ale  is  brown, 

The  cup  is  made  of  the  ashen  tree. 

And  so  is  the  ale  of  good  barley  : 

Little  maid,  little  maid,  turn  the  pin, 

Open  the  door  and  let  me  come  in  ;  ' 

God  be  here,  and  God  be  there  ! 

I  wish  you  all  a  happy  New  Year." 
— The  foregoing  is  quoted  from  Lake  Allen's  History  of  the  Isle  of 
Wight,  ^.251. 

The  Yorkshire  Name  for  Wakes. — In  the  West  Hiding,  particularly 
about  Halifax  and  Huddersfield,  the  annual  carnival  which  we  call 
"  Wakes "  in  Lancashire  goes  by  the  name  of  "  Thump,"  and  it 
appears  to  be  so  called  because  all  who  on  entering  an  ale-house 
refuse  to  pay  for  liquor  for  the  jollification  of  the  company  are  soundly 
thumped.  Last  Halifax  Thump,  a  teetotaller,  having  business  in  the 
Ovenden  Cross  Inn,  refused  and  resisted  the  levy  of  black  mail  upon 
him  for  drinking  purposes,  and  he  was  punished,  according  to  custom, 
by  the  company  laying  him  face  downwards  and  beating  him  on  the 
back  of  the  body  with  a  heated  fire-shovel.  The  ringleader  of  the 
frolic  being  summoned  by  the  indignant  teetotaller  was  sentenced  by 
the  magistrates  to  a  month's  imprisonment,  but  on  appeal  the  sentence 
was  commuted  to  a  fine  of  five  pounds,  with  the  costs  of  the  appeal. — 
Oldham  Chronicle. 

A  Dead  Hare's  Scut,  co.  Donegal. — I  observed  that  every  hare  I 
shot,  the  boy  that  might  be  with  me  immediately  pulled  the  "  scut " 


26  NOTES   AND   QUEHIES. 

out  of  it.  At  first  I  could  not  understand  what  it  was  done  for,  or 
wliat  tliey  did  with  the  scut,  because  in  general  I  find  it  hard  to 
understand  the  natives  or  they  to  understand  me ;  but  at  last  I  found 
out  from  one  of  them  that  if  a  woman  that  is  enciente  sees  a  dead  hare 
that  has  its  scut  her  offspring  will  have  a  hare-lip.  This  is  a  super- 
stition I  have  not  heard  elsewhere  in  Ireland.  G.  H.  K. 

Superstition  in  the  Black  Country.— At  Brierly  Hill  (King's 
Winford),  during  the  last  Petty  Sessions,  Jane  Wooton,  a  briek- 
niaker,  was  charged  with  assaulting  Ann  Lowe,  a  married  woman. 
The  complainant  said  the  defendant  met  her,  and,  after  pinching  her 
ear,  scratched  her  face  with  a  needle.  The  defendant  replied  that  the 
complainant  had  bewitched  her,  and  a  "  wise  woman "  had  recom- 
mended the  drawing  of  blood.  The  Bench  discharged  the  defendant 
with  a  caution.  G. 

Blackberries. — Here,  as  elsewhere  in  Ireland,  the  phoca  is  said  to 
blight  the  blackberries  on  Michaelmas  Day  by  putting  a  worm  in  it ; 
consequently  after  that  day  in  general  they  are  not  gathered  or  eaten. 
The  last  two  years  they  have  not  been  ripe  till  after  Michaelmas  ;  and 
as  there  is  a  considerable  trade  in  them,  I  liear,  for  the  manufacture 
of  claret  and  port  wines,  they  were  gathered  after  that  date,  but  the 
gatherers  would  not  cat  one  of  them.  G.  H.  K. 

White-footed  Horses.—"  If  we  believe  the  following  old  adage,  still 
retained  in  some  parts  of  Lanarkshire,  it  would  appear  that  white- 
footed  horses  are  more  tender  or  delicate  than  horses  of  another  colour 
in  the  feet:^ 

*  If  he  has  one  white  foot  buy  him, 
If  he  has  two  you  may  try  him. 
If  he  has  three  look  shy  at  him, 
But  if  he  has  four  go  by  him.*  " 

This  is  from  Ure's  Agriculture  of  Kinross^  1797,  p.  34.  G. 

Proverbs. — The  Urdu  Instructor,  a  small  periodical  published 
monthly  at  Bombay  (Education  Society's  Press),  contains  in  every 
number  a  number  of  Hindostani  proverbs  well  translated.  The 
originals  are  given  in  the  Roman  character.  A  similar  periodical, 
called  The  Persian  Teacher,  contains  in  each  number  a  similar 
quantity  of  Persian  proverbs.  R.  C.  Temple. 


NOTICES  AND  NEWS. 

Panjdh  Notes  and  Queries^  Nos.  1  and  2,  October  and  November,  1883. 

4to.     Pp.  1-24.      Edited  by  Captain  R.  C.  Temple.      Allahabad 

and  London  (Triibner  and  Co.) 
Knowing  how  zealous  our  own  English  Notes  and  Queries  has  been 
in  the  cause  of  folk-lore  we  can  readily  understand  what  might  be 
expected  from  Captain  Temple's  Panjab  offshoot.  Nobody,  we  think, 
will  be  disappointed.  Captain  Temple,  one  of  our  most  active 
members,  understands  and  values  Hindu  archaic  lore,  and  he  knows 
where  to  look  for  his  information.  Scraps  that  do  not  find  their  way 
into  the  Asiatic  Society  Journals  or  into  the  Indian  Antiquary  will  be 
duly  registered  in  these  pages ;  and,  judging  from  the  specimens  before 
us,  there  will  be  many  contributions  from  books  almost  inaccessible  to 
the  ordinary  student  of  Indian  matters.  Captain  Temple  has  adopted 
a  veiy  good  plan  of  classifying  the  contributions  of  his  various  corre- 
spondents under,  at  all  events,  some  kind  of  general  grouping;  and  we 
venture  to  suggest  that  this  excellent  plan  might  with  advantage  be 
further  developed.  We  confine  our  attention  to  general  remarks  in 
this  opening  notice,  as  it  will  be  our  object  to  give  a  summary  of  the 
folk-lore  contents  of  each  number  as  it  appears,  and  we  sincerely  hope 
that  Captain  Temple's  efforts  will  be  warmly  supported  in  this  country. 

The   Gentleman^s  Magazine  Library :  being  a  classified  collection  of 
the  chief  contents  of  the  '*  Gentleman^s  Magazine^^  from  1731  to 
1868.   Edited  by  George  Laurence  Gomme,  F.S.A.    Manners  and 
Customs.     London  (Elliot  Stock),  1883.    8vo.  pp.  xiv.  302. 
This  handsome  volume  is  most  welcome  to  all  students  of  folk-lore. 
They  have  long  known  the  stores  of  curious  information  contained  in 
the  two  hundred  and  twenty-four  volumes  of  the  original  series  of 
The  Gentleinan's  Magazine.    But  the  information  was  practically  inac- 
cessible.    One  had  to  be  content  with  second-hand  references, — of  all 
references  the  most  unsatisfactory  in  a  subject  where  every  detail  is 


28  NOTICES   AND   NEWS. 

of  importance, — or,  at  best,  with  verifying  a  quotation  now  and  again 
when  a  great  library  afforded  facilities  for  personal  inquiry.  Now 
we  have  in  two  hundred  and  eighty  clearly-printed  pages  all  the 
information  regarding  "  Manners  and  Customs  "  which  generations 
of  the  friends  of  Sylvanus  Urban  sent  to  that  respected  shadow. 
The  entries  are  clearly  arranged,  with  bold  headings  ;  they  contain 
the  very  words  of  the  original,  with  year  and  page  reference  at  the 
head  of  each  quotation.  Further,  there  is  an  excellent  index.  It 
is  needless  to  say  that  the  subjects  embraced  under  the  general 
head  of  "  Manners  and  Customs  "  are  very  various.  Thus  we  have 
notes  on  customs  in  1697,  and  again  on  "Modern  Manners  "  (viz., 
those  of  1812,  by  "  A  Constant  Reader ")  ;  on  harvest  customs, 
maiTiage  customs,  funeral  customs,  games,  hunting,  stage  plays  in 
churches,  burlesque  festivals  of  former  ages,  school  barring-outs,  and 
so  on.  Mr.  Nichol's  papers  on  London  Pageants  are  a  distinct 
addition  to  municipal  history  which  must  be  comparatively  unknown 
to  many.  Most  members  of  the  Folk-Lore  Society  will  find  some 
flowers  to  their  fancy  in  this  garden  of  old-fashioned  plants. 


The  newly-established  Historical  and  Ethnological  Society  of  Greece, 
the  main  object  of  which  is  the  promotion  of  the  study  of  the  mediaeval 
and  modem  history  of  that  country,  together  with  kindred  subjects, 
has  lately  issued  the  first  number  ot  its  Journal.  Tliis  comprises 
a  variety  of  hitherto  unpublished  documents  relating  to  different 
periods  ;  and,  among  other  contributions,  a  paper  by  M.  Polites  on 
*'  Diseases  as  found  in  the  Myths  of  the  Greek  People,"  an  essay  in 
comparative  mythology  containing  much  information ;  an  account  of 
local  Greek  marriage  customs ;  and  collections  of  popular  songs  from 
Northern  Euboea  and  popular  tales  from  Athens. 

Bishop  Callaway  has  sent  off  two  boxes  of  MSS.  and  printed  matter 
on  South  African  folk-lore,  and  Mr.  Gomme  hopes  by  next  month  to 
report  as  to  their  contents. 

Subscriptions  are  due  on  1st  January,  and  Members  would  greatly 
facilitate  the  Society's  business  if  they  paid  promptly. 

Professor  Rhys  Davids  has  promised  to  read  a  paper  in  January, 


NO  TICKS  AND  NEWa.  29 

and  the  Council  hope  tliat  Members  will  do  their  best  to  hear  this 
distinguished  scholar. 

At  a  meeting  of  the  Society  on  14th  December,  at  22,  Albemarle  Street, 
Mr.  Edward  Clodd  read  a  paper  on  the  "  Philosophy  of  Punchkin." 
After  remarks  on  the  more  serious  meaning  now  sought  for  within  the 
folk-tale,  sober  treatment  of  which  was  impossible  while  it  was  looked 
upon  only  as  the  vagrant  of  fancy,  an  abstract  of  the  more  important 
variants  of  the  Punchkin  group  of  stories  was  given.  The  central  idea 
common  to  these  tales,  whether  found  among  Aryan,  Semitic,  Finno- 
Ugrian,  &c.  races,  however  much  obscured  by  local  detail,  is  the 
dwelling  apart  of  the  soul  or  heart,  as  the  seat  of  life,  from  the  body ; 
and  its  deposit  in  some  animate  or  inanimate  thing,  chiefly  animate, 
an  egg  or  a  bird  being  the  frequent  hiding-place,  and  the  fate  of  the 
soul  determining  the  fate  of  the  body.  This  central  idea,  it  was  sought 
to  show,  was  the  belief,  thus  preserved  in  more  or  less  dramatic  form, 
of  the  barbaric  mind  in  one  or  more  entities  in  the  body,  yet  not  of  it, 
and  endowed  with  power  to  leave  it  at  will  and  control  its  destiny ; 
whilst  the  passage  of  the  life-principle  from  princess  or  demon  into 
bird  or  necklace  was  an  easy  assumption  of  the  imagination  which 
created  its  rude  analogies  between  man  and  brutes  and  lifeless  objects, 

A  little  book  treating  chiefly  of  the  Orkney  Islands  will  be  issued 
by  Messrs.  Simpkin,  Marshall,  and  Co.,  in  a  few  weeks.  It  is  entitled 
Rambling  Sketches  m  the  Far  North,  and  is  written  by  Mr.  R. 
Menzies  Ferguson.  Besides  containing  chapters  upon  historical  and 
archaeological  subjects,  with  descriptions  of  the  principal  isles,  it  will 
treat  of  the  customs  and  superstitions  of  Orkney,  land  tenure, 
farming,  folk-lore,  and  fairy  tales. 

The  Rev.  John  M* Gavin  Boyd  delivered  a  lecture  at  Airdrie,  on 
Df.c.  1 0,  the  subject  being  "  Scotch  Proverbs."  Mr.  Boyd,  at  the 
outset  of  his  lecture,  inquired  as  to  what  was  a  proverb,  and  how  this 
peculiar  form  of  expression  arose.  There  was  no  want  of  definitions, 
but  he  did  not  think  a  proverb  was  capable  of  direct  definition.  He 
quoted  several  classical  definitions  showing  that  brevity  and  point 
were  the  distinguishing  features  of  the  proverb,  such  as  that  by  Cer- 
vantes, who  called  them  "  short  sentences  drawn  from  long  expe- 
rience," and   Lord   Bacon  who  said  they  "  embodied  the  wit,  genius. 


30  NOTICES  AND  NEWS. 

and  wisdom  of  a  nation."  The  lecturer  then  showed  that  it  was  in 
tlie  more  ancient  proverbs  that  were  to  be  found  the  first  genus  of 
religious  science  and  philosophy,  as  well  as  of  political  economy.  He 
also  pointed  out  that  every  nation  had  its  own  proverbs,  which  often 
corresponded  to  those  of  other  nations,  although  different  in  words, 
such  as  the  English  one  "carrying  coals  to  Newcastle,"  which  in 
Scotland  was  rendered  "  carrying  salt  to  Dysart."  In  Scotland,  up 
to  a  recent  date,  proverbs  had  been  very  common  in  conversation,  but 
an  abundant  education  had  now  turned  them  into  the  lumber-room  of 
the  past  for  the  study  of  the  antiquary  and  the  investigation  of  the 
curious.  Mr.  Boyd  then  proceeded  to  give  a  number  of  illustrations 
of  proverbs  applied  to  different  classes  in  Scotland,  many  of  them 
highly  amusing  by  their  quaint  drollery.  He  stated  that,  notwith- 
standing the  characteristic  religious  sentiment  of  Scotland,  there  were 
comparatively  few  of  her  proverbs  that  touched  on  sacred  things,  this 
being  accounted  for  by  two  reasons  (1)  the  profound  reverence  with 
which  the  Scotch  have  always  regarded  things  pertaining  to  religion; 
and  (2)  the  doctrinal  form  in  which  we  received  our  religion  under 
the  Reformation  regime.  The  reverend  gentleman  quoted  several 
Scottish  proverbs  in  illustration  of  this  and  other  points  as  he  pro- 
ceeded, and  went  on  to  say  that  there  was  no  class  of  people  with 
whom  the  proverbs  of  Scotland  dealt  more  largely  than  with  the 
clergy.  For  instance,  **  Maiden's  stockins  and  ministers'  stipends  are 
aye  less  than  they're  ca'd,"  and  "  Corbies  and  clergy  are  little  shot," 
and  one,  exceedingly  good  in  its  way,  though  rather  libellous  in  its 
nature — 

"  The  Dell  and  the  Dean  begin  wi'  ae  letter  ; 
When  the  Deil  kills  the  Dean  the  kirk  *11  be  better." 

His  "  gruesome  majesty,"  it  was  stated,  seemed  rather  a  favourite 
with  the  Scottish  people,  for  the  purpose  of  ♦*  pointing  a  moral  and 
adorning  a  tale,"  as  appeared  from  many  other  proverbs  (quoted  by 
the  lecturer),  as,  for  instance,  "  The  Deil  is  a  busy  bishop  in  his  ain 
diocese,"  "  He  needs  a  lang-shankit  spoon  that  sups  kail  wi'  the 
Deil,"  and  "  The  Deil's  aye  guid  tae  his  ain."  Several  very  humorous 
proverbs  concerning  lawyers  were  also  quoted,  and  reference  was  made 
to  the  numerous  proverbs  relating  to  and  arising  out  of  the  excesses 


NOTICES  AND  NEWS.  31 

and  debauchery  of  a  past  age,  this  being  the  most  melancholy  feature 
in  connection  with  the  proverbial  philosophy  of  Scotland.  In  these 
days  of  greater  self-control  and  wiser  social  intercourse,  the  lecturer 
said  it  was  with  feelings  of  amazement  that  he  looked  back  on  days 
gone  by  upon  customs  that  disgraced  society.  ITiose  excesses  had  left 
sad  havoc  on  our  national  proverbs.  The  lecturer  also  referred  to 
proverbs  on  marriage,  and  concluded  with  a  beautiful  and  appropriate 
peroration  on  the  exclusively  Scotch  proverb — "  The  e'ening  brings  a' 
hame,"  and  said  that  if  the  Scotch  proverbs  taught  no  more  than  that 
implied  they  would  have  taught  much  that  was  worth  learning  and  a 
great  deal  that  was  worth  remembering. 

At  a  recent  meeting  of  the  Penzance  Natural  History  and  Anti- 
quarian Society  the  Rev.  G.  Rundle  read  a  paper  called  "  Some  Facts 
connected  with  old  Cornish  History."  He  began  with  a  few  words  on 
charms.  For  a  child  who  has  thrush,  say  in  the  morning  thrice  the 
second  verse  of  the  eighth  psalm.  For  tooth-ache. — Begin  every 
morning  the  act  of  dressing  by  putting  the  stocking  on  the  left  foot. 
For  a  bad  eye. — Pierce  the  shell  of  a  living  snail,  and  let  the  exuding 
liquid  fall  on  the  eye.  For  warts. — Cut  a  stalk  of  corn  at  one  of  the 
knots,  cross  it  seven  times  over  the  wart,  then  bury  it.  Take  a  piece 
of  meat,  cross  it  seven  times  over  the  warts,  then  hang  it  on  a  thorn- 
tree  to  rot.  The  power  of  the  seventh  son  of  a  seventh  son  is  very 
interesting  to  us,  as  being  quoted  by  Cornelius  a  Lapide  as  existing 
in  Flanders  in  his  day,  some  two  hundred  years  ago.  Mundic  as  a 
charm. — Mundic  being  applied  to  a  wound  immediately  cures  it,  which 
the  workmen  are  so  sure  of  that  they  use  no  other  remedy  than 
washing  in  the  water  that  runs  from  the  mundic-ore.  Old  customs. — 
1st  of  May. — On  that  day  it  was  the  custom  in  Landrake  to  give  the 
person  who  plucked  a  fern  as  much  cream  as  would  cover  it.  On 
Shrove  Tuesday. — It  is  the  custom  to  unhang  gates,  as  well  as  to  eat 
pork-chops  and  eggs,  besides  customary  pan-cake.  On  May-day,  in 
Landrake,  it  was  customary  to  chastise  with  stinging-nettles  any  one 
found  in  bed  after  six  a.m.  For  epilepsy,  to  walk  round  the  church 
altar  thrice.  On  St.  Stephen's  Day. — Every  youth  and  boy  who  can 
beg,  borrow,  or  steal  a  gun  on  that  day  goes  out  to  shoot  birds.  On 
New  Year's  Eve.— It  is  the  custom  to  place  a  piece  of  silver  on  the 


32  NOTICES  AND  NEWS. 

window-sill.  This  is  said  to  bring  good  luck.  A  piece  of  flea-bane 
used  to  be  placed  in  harvest-time  in  the  first  "  arish  mow  "  that  was 
made.  Blowing  horns  before  the  house  of  a  newly  married  couple. — 
An  amusing  reason  has  been  assigned  for  this  custom  in  the  parish  of 
St.  Breage.  It  is  said  the  inhabitants,  finding  it  impossible  to  make 
sufficient  noise  with  the  one  bell  hung  in  the  tower,  and  not  liking  to 
be  outdone  by  other  parishes,  hit  upon  the  happy  expedient  of  making 
good  the  deficiency  by  using  horns.  Col-Perra. — John  mentions  the 
custom  of  persons  going  from  house  to  house,  begging  a  Col-Perra 
tabban  (morsel)  on  Shrove  Tuesday.  He  does  not,  however,  give  the 
rhyme  which  is  in  use  on  that  occasion.  It  begins  Han-cock,  Han- 
cock. On  Christmas  Eve  children  demand,  and  are  never  refused, 
from  shop-keepers  a  couple  of  pins.  With  this  they  play  at  a  singular 
game  thus  :  A  cup  is  placed  on  the  table,  round  which  the  children 
gather.  They  drop  pins  over  the  cup;  the  child  whose  pin  crosses 
another  wins  the  game  and  receives  all  the  pins  as  a  forfeit.  Super- 
stitions.—  St.  Veryan. — There  is  a  belief  that  if  the  clock  in  the  church 
gallery  strikes  during  the  time  of  service  a  member  of  the  congrega- 
tion will  die  during  a  short  period.  This  is  said  to  have  happened  in 
the  case  of  a  recent  vicar. 

The  following  are  the  titles  of  folk-lore  notes  in  Pdnjah  Notes  and 
Queries: — October  :  Marriage  customs,  glow-worm,  lucky  days,  house 
building,  well  finding,  the  goat  as  a  peace-ofi'ering,  black  a  protection 
against  the  evil  eye,  omens,  quarters  of  the  compass,  jackals,  evil-eye, 
proverbs,  bears,  wild-dogs,  passing  holy  places,  death  customs,  praying 
machines,  curing  maggots  in  sheep,  horns  on  temples,  unicorn,  tombs 
and  gravestones,  objection  to  taking  life,  interment  customs,  spirits  of 
the  hills,  fortune-telling,  priest-making.  November:  Birth  customs, 
first-born  children,  evil  spirits,  well  finding,  donkeys,  charms  against 
snakes,  omens,  village  boundaries,  burning  houses  to  secure  male 
issue,  unlucky  name,  lucky  numbers,  children  clapping  hands,  pro- 
verbs, sacred  places,  marriage  customs,  gold  finding,  ears  of  grain 
suspended,  annual  dance  to  the  gods,  plant-lore,  votive  pillars,  votive 
flowers,  votive  rags,  altar  horns,  going  with  the  sun,  praying  machines, 
pashas  of  three  tails,  porcupine  unlawful  food,  wild  ass,  sheep,  cairns, 
salute  on  bringing  in  candles,  confusion  of  creeds. 


IRISH  STORIES  AND  CHARMS. 

By  the  Honourable  J.  Abercromby. 


|N  the  course  of  the  summer  I  took  down  in  Irish  a  few 
stories,  one  of  which  is  given  below,  and  also  three 
charms.  They  were  dictated  to  me  by  an  old  man  of  the 
name  of  Cliflford,  a  native  of  Cahirciveen,  county  Kerry. 
In  his  younger  days  he  was  a  great  story-teller,  and  possessed  a  large 
stock-in-trade.  Now,  through  want  of  practice,  not  having  repeated 
any  for  the  last  eighteen  years,  they  are  passing  out  of  his  memory, 
and  he  finds  it  somewhat  difficult  to  recall  them.  The  charms  he 
learnt  from  an  old  Irish  manuscript.  Long  ago  he  knew  a  great 
many;  but  now,  with  the  exception  of  the  three  below,  they  are 
entirely  eflfaced  from  his  memory.  The  first  is  interesting  from  being 
almost  identical  with  the  Lancashire  one,  including  the  Orkney  ampli- 
fication, given  by  Mr.  Black  in  his  new  book  on  Folk-Medicine,  p.  77. 
The  translations  are  very  literal. 

Charm  for  the  Teeth. 

St.  Peter  sat  on  a  marble  stone  at  the  gate  of  Jerusalem.  As 
Jesus  passed  by,  he  said  to  him,  "  Peter,  what  is  the  matter  with 
thee  ?  "  Peter  answered  and  said  to  him,  "  Lord,  I  have  the  tooth- 
ache." "  I  heal  thee,  Peter,  and  every  one  else  that  will  carry  these 
words  about  him.  In  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and 
of  the  Holy  Spirit." 

Charm  for  Whooping-Cough. 

The  charm  which  Mary  sent  to  her  son,  which  Christ  received  in 
his  hand.  Peter  said,  Paul  said,  John  said  that  it  was  good.  Colum- 
cille  applied  it  to  his  heart,  his  side,  and  his  chest,  driving  away  the 
severe  whooping-cough.    In  the  name,  &c. 

Vol.  2.-  Part  2.  d 


34  IRISH  STORIES  AND  CHARMS. 

Charm  for  Butter. 

To  be  repeated  during  the  operation  of  washing  it, — 

"  The  water  of  three  boundaries, 
Before  rising  of  the  sun, 
On  the  morning  of  Beltaine." 

Witchcraft. 

One  day  a  housewife  was  making  butter  and  a  tailor  working  at 
the  door.  The  housewife  went  outside  on  business,  and  a  neighbour 
woman  came  in  and  carried  away  with  her  a  live  coal.  The  tailor  saw 
her,  and  got  up,  and  put  a  live  coal  into  the  milk-vessel.  The  neigh- 
bour came  in  a  second  time,  and  carried  away  another  live  coal.  But 
the  tailor  likewise  put  another  into  the  vessel.  The  neighbour  came 
in  a  third  time,  and  took  a  third  live  coal.  The  tailor  got  up,  and  put  a 
third  one  likewise  into  the  vessel.  About  the  same  time  the  housewife 
came  in,  and  set  to  work  to  take  the  butter  from  the  milk ;  but,  alas! 
she  did  not  find  a  scrap  of  butter  there.  She  screeched,  and  screamed, 
and  said,  "  Where  has  my  butter  gone  ?"  '*  Hast  thou  not  it  there  ?  " 
said  the  tailor.  "  There  is  not  a  particle,"  said  she.  "  Look  in  that 
vessel  yonder,"  said  he.  She  looked  in  it,  and  there  it  was  quite  full 
of  her  butter.  For  that  reason  the  sorcery  went  against  the  woman 
neighbour,  as  she  was  very  covetous. 

The  narrator  explained  the  belief  existed  that  the  neighbour 
could  cause  the  transfer  of  the  housewife's  butter  to  her  own  butter- 
tub,  through  sorcery  or  witchcraft,  by  means  of  carrying  away  a  live 
coal  from  her  hearth.  The  only  way  to  traverse  such  a  manoeuvre 
was  to  act  as  the  tailor  did. 

The  Gentleman  Traveller. 
Once  a  gentleman  was  on  a  journey  through  this  country,  visiting 
places  in  order  to  see  the  ways  and  habits  of  mankind.  One  day  he 
happened  to  be  out  late,  without  prospect  of  a  lodging.  At  last  he 
walked  up  speedily  to  a  big  house.  He  went  in  there,  and  made  his 
case  known.  The  gentleman  of  the  house  came  down,  and  welcomed 
him  without  delay.  He  told  him  entirely  from  his  heart  that  there 
was  board  and  lodging  for  the  night,  and  for  longer  if  he  wished  to 
ptay.  But  just  this — though  it  was  grief  to  him  to  mention  it — the 
lady  of  the  house  is  about  to  be  confined,  and  I  am  greatly  afraid  on 


IRISH  STORIES  AND  CHARMS.  35 

her  account.  Tlie  traveller  thanked  him  for  his  civility,  and  told  him 
not  to  be  vexed,  for  his  wife  would  be  well  before  the  morrow,  with  the 
help  of  God.  The  traveller  sat  down  in  the  parlour,  and  began  to 
read  his  book  to  while  away  the  night.  During  this  interval  the 
mistress  was  sickly,  faint,  and  in  great  pain.  When  the  traveller 
took  his  supper,  which  he  greatly  needed  after  the  journey  during  the 
day,  the  master  of  the  house  excused  himself,  saying,  "  Were  it  not 
for  the  trouble  which  is  over  us,  we  should  have  a  pleasant  night." 
"  Don't  take  that  amiss  on  my  account,  but,  believe  me,  improvement 
will  take  place  in  her  before  long."  They  were  conversing  in  this 
way  together  till  the  girl  came  to  them  into  the  parlour.  She  said, 
"  The  mistress  will  be  well  directly."  The  traveller  told  her  to  go 
back,  and  give  notice  to  delay  the  confinement  for  half-an-hour.  The 
girl  did  that,  and  came  back  again,  and  told  them  it  was  impossible  to 
make  the  delay.  The  traveller  sent  her  back  the  second  time  with  an 
order  to  make  a  delay  of  ten  minutes.  The  girl  did  as  she  was  bid, 
but  the  order  was  impossible.  A  boy-child  was  born,  and  immediately 
the  woman  in  child-bed  recovered.  The  master  was  full  of  mirth  and 
pleasure  till  dayhght.  He  served  and  waited  on  the  traveller  full 
worthily.  In  the  morning  of  the  morrow  the  traveller  prepared  for 
the  road  ;  but  before  he  started  he  wrote  an  amulet  (lit.,  John's 
book),  and  tied  it  under  the  neck  of  the  child.  He  was  obliged  to 
wait  there  till  the  infant  was  baptized,  and  he  was  himself  its  god- 
father. Before  departing,  he  ordered  them  not  to  remove  the  amulet 
from  its  neck  till  it  should  be  able  to  read.     Then  he  went  his  way. 

Don't  be  afraid  but  that  he  got  good  heeding  till  he  grew  up 
to  be  a  young  man.  He  got  schooling  and  reading  without  doubt. 
But  one  day  as  he  was  coming  home  from  school  his  eye  caught  the 
amulet,  and  he  wondered  what  virtue  it  had.  He  opened  and  read  it, 
but  what  was  written  in  it  but  that  he  should  be  hanged  at  the  gate 
of  his  own  father. 

Great  terror  seized  him  at  seeing  what  was  to  befall  him.  He  came 
home  and  he  was  not  cheerful  nor  himself.  His  mother  noticed  him, 
and  asked  him  if  he  had  anything  disagreeable.  He  told  her  he 
had  no  trouble  in  the  world  upon  him,  but  she  did  not  believe  him. 
He  hid  his  secret  from  her,  and  yet  she  was  urging  him  to  state  his 

p2 


36  IRISH  STOKIES  AND  CHARMS. 

difficulty.  At  last  he  related  how  it  happened.  "  Mother,"  said 
he,  "  make  ready  for  my  departure ;  before  I  am  hanged  at  this 
gate  outside.  I  will  leave  the  country  rather  than  bring  shame  on  my 
father.  I  vow,  as  long  as  I  live,  I  will  not  take  a  wife  in  this  world." 
This  mother  was  sorrowful,  grieved,  disquieted  about  her  only  son, 
who  was  going  away  without  being  settled  in  life.  For  his  sake  she 
did  not  refuse  him.  She  made  preparations  for  his  departure,  and  did 
not  let  herself  be  annoyed  in  his  presence. 

He  took  a  melancholy  farewell  of  his  people  and  went  on  his  travels 
full  of  despair. 

The  first  day  he  went  a  long  way,  and  when  night  came  he  took  up 
his  lodging  in  the  house  of  a  gentleman  to  pass  the  night  with  them 
there.  The  gentleman  had  a  young  woman  of  a  daughter.  She  felt 
affection  and  love  for  the  stranger.  She  asked  him  privately  if  he 
would  marry  her.  He  answered  her  tenderly,  if  he  could  do  that  he 
would  obediently  submit  himself  to  a  meeting  with  her,  but  that  it 
was  impossible  for  him  ever  to  take  a  wife  in  this  life.  Anger  seized 
her  on  account  of  getting  a  refusal,  and  she  reflected  that  the  man 
she  could  not  gain  she  would  destroy. 

Thereupon  she  put  valuables  into  his  travelling-wallet  without  his 
knowledge.  He  took  leave  of  them  in  the  morning,  and  started  on 
his  journey.  He  had  not  gone  far  before  she  said  to  her  father  the 
traveller  had  stolen  such  and  such  things  from  her.  The  father  sent 
a  guard  after  him  with  orders  to  bring  him  back.  They  searched  him 
well  and  found  on  him  the  very  things.  He  was  put  on  his  trial, 
found  guilty,  and  sentenced  to  be  hanged  at  his  own  gate. 

They  hanged  him,  and  in  that  position  he  was  talking  to  them 
throughout  the  day.  "  Thou  art  a  marvellous  man,"  said  the  father 
of  the  young  woman.  "  There  is  something  wonderful  that  concerns 
thee,  seeing  thou  dost  not  die." 

The  traveller  related  to  him  his  career  from  beginning  to  end.  He 
listened  to  him  to  the  end  of  his  story.  At  that  moment  he  let  him 
down  from  the  gallows,  and  he  knew  directly  that  it  was  a  false  lie 
the  daughter  had  told  him.  He  caught  him  by  the  hand  and  shook 
it  heartily,  and  said  to  him,  "  I  am  thy  god-father."  Without  any 
delay  he  hanged  the  daughter,  and  put  her  to  death  without  reprieve. 


IRISH  STORIES  AND  CHARMS.  37 

The  traveller  took  leave  of  him  and  went  on  his  journey,  and  was 
making  the  best  of  his  way  that  day  till  night  came.  He  took  up  his 
lodging  likewise  at  a  gentleman's  house,  and  it  was  an  agreeable 
lovely  place  to  be  in.  He  went  to  sleep  early,  for  he  was  tired  from 
the  journey.  He  did  not  rise  in  the  morning  till  the  sun  had  thrown 
its  shadows  clearly  on  the  bed.  Who  came  to  him  opposite  the  bed 
but  a  young  woman,  very  beautiful  of  figure  and  appearance.  She 
spoke  to  him  with  clever  words  full  of  much  love.  Modestly  and 
gently  she  asked  him  if  it  was  his  pleasure  to  take  her  to  himself  as 
wife.  From  the  great  pleasure  caused  by  her  appearance  he  said  to 
her  that  it  was  his  will  to  take  her  for  ever,  although  he  did  not 
remember  at  the  time  the  spells  which  were  on  him  since  he  left  home. 
She  wrote  out  articles  of  agreement  that  moment  and  told  him  to  sign 
his  name  below.  He  said  to  her,  "  I  have  no  ink."  *'  Take  a  drop  of 
blood  from  the  tip  of  thy  finger,  and  put  it  on  the  pen  and  write,  then 
the  business  will  be  legal."  He  did  as  she  told  him,  and  that  finished 
the  bargain  between  them.  She  put  up  the  writing,  binding  him  to 
her,  speedily,  and  said  to  him  this :  "  Which  dost  thou  prefer,  to 
consent  to  marry  me  this  morning,  or  to  be  married  with  me  in  hell 
to-morrow  morning  ?  "  He  shook  with  fear  from  the  crown  of  his 
head  to  the  soles  of  his  feet,  and  said  to  her,  "  Woman,  I  have 
nothing  to  do  with  thee.  There  shall  be  no  dealing  between  me  and 
thee.  Give  me  my  writing."  "  Thou  art  afraid,"  said  she;  "thou  art 
too  late,  and  the  time  is  not  far  from  thee  in  which  thou  wilt  be 
vidth  me  as  husband,  enduring  the  pains  of  hell."  She  went  off  like 
an  arrow.  He  rose  from  the  bed  and  asked  mercy  of  God  to  deliver 
him  from  the  desperate  scrape  in  which  he  was. 

He  was  in  that  state  till  he  had  taken  his  breakfast.  He  did  not 
know  what  he  should  do.  He  thought  over  it  a  long  time  within 
himself  what  he  could  do  to  defend  himself  against  her.  Finally,  he 
remembered  it  would  be  a  good  thing  to  go  to  Rome,  tell  his  tale  to 
the  Pope,  and  get  profitable  advice  from  him. 

Thereupon  he  set  his  face  towards  Rome,  and  in  time  found  a  place 
for  conversation  with  the  Pope.  He  narrated  everything  that  had 
happened  to  him,  and  the  hard  circumstances  in  Avhich  he  now  was. 

The  Pope  said  it  was  not  in  his  power  to  do  him  any  service  what- 


38  IRISH  STORIES  AND  CHARMS. 

ever  but  this  :  "  I  will  write  a  letter  for  thee  to  the  priest  of  the 
parish  in  which  thy  people  are,  and  unless  that  does  thee  service  I 
cannot  help  thee."  He  wrote  the  letter  for  him.  When  he  had  got 
it  he  departed  as  fast  as  his  legs  would  take  him,  without  making  any 
delay,  till  he  came  to  his  father's  house.  He  did  not  stay  long  there 
before  he  went  to  the  priest,  and  gave  him  the  Pope's  letter.  The 
priest  read  it,  and  was  greatly  astonished.  He  said,  "  How  is  it 
possible  for  me  to  rescue  when  the  Pope  has  not  done  so  ?  Does  he 
suppose  my  power  to  be  greater  than  his  own  ?  For  his  sake  I  will 
do  for  thee  as  much  as  I  can.  T  have  a  brother,  Mathew  by  name, 
living  half-way  between  the  kingdom  of  God  and  hell,  and  his  per- 
petual occupation  is  playing  cards  night  and  day.  He  is  there  now 
with  a  table  and  a  pack  of  cards.  His  la.o  end  after  death  was  to  go 
to  hell,  as  he  was  a  man  of  very  bad  life,  and  it  is  right  his  dwelling 
should  be  there." 

The  priest  showed  him  the  road  to  find  Mathew.  "  When  thou 
approachest  him,  put  this  letter  at  the  end  of  a  stick,  else  he  will  pelt 
thee  with  stones.  Then  he  will  understand  thou  wilt  play  a  game 
with  him." 

The  youth  went  on  his  way  with  the  priest's  letter  along  every 
path  as  he  had  been  directed,  till  he  came  within  sight  of  Mathew. 
When  Mathew  saw  him  he  picked  up  stones  to  pelt  him.  Then  he 
put  the  letter  at  the  end  of  the  stick  and  stretched  it  out  before  him. 
When  Mathew  saw  that  he  sat  down  waiting  for  him.  He  took  the 
letter  and  read  it,  and  was  greatly  astonished  at  it.  He  said,  "  How 
was  it  possible  for  my  brother  to  think  that  it  was  in  my  power  to  do 
thee  a  service,  for  I  spent  my  former  life  very  ill,  and  now  there  will 
soon  be  an  end  to  my  evil  deeds  ?  I  understand  that  too  late,"  said 
he.  "  There  is  nothing  at  all  for  me  to  do  for  thee  but  write  to  the 
Arch-Devil  in  hell.  If  he  does  not  take  an  interest  in  thy  scrape, 
pitiable  indeed  is  thy  tale." 

Mathew  instructed  him  as  to  the  road  as  well  as  he  could.  He 
went  along  with  a  heavy  heart.  Whether  long  or  short  the  journey 
he  made,  at  last  ho  reached  the  gate  of  hell.  He  knocked  outside, 
and  a  messenger  came  out,  to  whom  he  gave  the  letter.  The  messenger 
took  it  in  with  him.     Presently  the  big  man  himself  came  and  ques- 


IRISH  STORIES  AND  CHARMS.  39 

tioned  him  without  advantage.  He  called  out  for  Anna.  Presently 
she  came.  "  Give  the  articles  of  agreement  to  this  man,"  said  the  big 
man.  "  I  have  not  thought  about  it,"  said  she.  "  Give  them  up," 
said  the  big  man,  **  or  I  will  put  thee  for  three  hours  under  the  iron 
flails."  He  put  her  for  that  period  under  the  flails,  and  gave  her 
plenty  of  it.  After  that  she  got  up  again  quite  sound.  He  said  to 
her  the  second  time,  "  Give  them  up  now  or  I  will  put  thee  for  three 
hours  in  the  boilers  that  are  boiling  before  thee."  She  refused  him 
the  second  time,  and  said  she  would  not  give  them.  He  put  her  into 
the  boiler  for  a  space  of  three  hours.  Finally,  she  rose  up  as  well  as 
ever  she  was.  The  big  man  said  to  her  the  third  time,  "  Give  up  the 
articles  of  agreement  now  or  I  will  put  thee  out  into  Mathew's  chamber 
for  a  space  of  three  hours  more."  "  I  will  give  them  up  now,  rather 
than  go  into  Mathew's  chamber."  She  gave  them  up  on  the  spot.  The 
big  man  reached  them  over  to  the  poor  traveller,  who  immediately  set 
off.  He  did  not  take  leave  of  them  or  halt  till  he  came  where  Mathew 
was.  Mathew  saluted  him,  and  asked  if  he  had  good  news.  He 
related  his  story  to  him  from  beginning  to  end  as  it  had  happened. 
When  Mathew  had  heard  the  story  he  was  filled  with  sorrow  of  heart 
and  horror  of  mind,  and  said  "  Alas  !  melancholy  is  my  condition 
after  death,  and,  in  truth,  it  is  what  I  have  earned  from  my  manner 
of  living.  But,  alas  !  there  is  no  remedy  for  it  now,  for  the  last  bit 
of  my  life  is  at  hand.  Now,  since  I  have  done  thee  a  service,  it  is 
right  thou  should'st  do  me  one  likewise." 

"  Don't  be  afraid,"  said  the  traveller ;  "  if  I  must  wait  with  thee  to 
the  end  of  my  life  I  will  do  for  thee  everything  that  lies  in  my  power." 
"  I  will  not  ask  thee  to  do  too  much  for  me,"  said  Mathew.  "  Gather 
materials  for  a  fire,  and  make  it  up,  and,  when  it  is  quite  red,  catch 
hold  of  me  and  put  me  right  into  the  middle  of  the  fire,  and  keep  me 
there  till  I  am  burnt.  Then  pick  up  every  grain  of  ashes,  and  take 
them  home  in  thy  handkerchief,  and  tell  my  brother,  the  priest,  to 
read  three  masses  over  them;  and  after  that  my  soul  will  be  safe." 
The  traveller  did  everything  he  had  been  ordered.  Nothing  is  narrated 
of  his  journey  till  he  came  home.  The  priest  did  as  he  was  directed, 
and  that  put  an  end  to  his  troubles,  and  an  end  besides  to  my  story. 


VABIANT  OF  THE  THREE  NOODLES. 


Told  in  1862  (and  afterwards)  by  a  nursemaid  then  aged  sixteen,  a  native 
of  Honghton,  near  Stafford. 

B^^^al  NCE  upon  a  time  there  was  a  farmer  and  his  wife  who  had 
bBjQJ  one  only  daughter,  and  she  was  courted  by  a  gentleman. 
It^j^^^  Every  evening  he  used  to  come  and  see  her,  and  stop  to 
supper  at  the  farmhouse,  and  the  daughter  used  to  be 
sent  down  into  the  cellar  to  draw  the  beer  for  supper.  So  one  evening 
she  was  gone  down  to  draw  the  beer,  and  she  happened  to  look  up  at 
the  ceiling  while  she  was  drawing,  and  she  saw  an  axe  stuck  into  one 
of  the  beams,*  It  must  have  been  there  a  long,  long  time,  but 
somehow  or  other  she  had  never  noticed  it  before,  and  she  began 
a-thinking.  And  she  thought  ii  was  very  dangerous  to  have  that  axe 
there,  for  she  said  to  herself,  "  Suppose  him  and  me  was  to  be  married, 
and  we  was  to  have  a  son,  and  he  was  to  grow  up  to  be  a  man,  and 
come  down  into  the  cellar  to  draw  the  beer,  like  as  I'm  doing  now, 
and  the  axe  was  to  fall  on  his  head  and  kill  him,  what  a  dreadful 
thing  it  would  be  ! "  And  she  put  down  the  candle  and  the  jug,  and 
eat  herself  down  and  began  a-crying. 

Well,  they  began  to  wonder  upstairs  how  it  was  that  she  was  so 
long  drawing  the  beer,  and  her  mother  went  down  to  see  after  her, 
and  she  found  her  sitting  on  the  setluss  crying,  and  the  beer  running 
over  the  floor.  "  Why,  whatever  is  the  matter?"  said  her  mother. 
"  Oh,  mother  1 "  says  she,  **  look  at  that  homd  axe !  Suppose  we 
was  to  be  married,  and  was  to  have  a  son,  and  he  was  to  grow  up, 
and  was  to  come  down  into  the  cellar  to  draw  the  beer,  and  the  axe 

♦  I  cannot  feel  certain  whether  it  was  not  a  hammer  or  some  other  tool  in  my 
nurse's  story,  and  whether  I  may  not  have  unconscionsly  borrowed  the  axe  from 
Grimm's  Khige  EUe. 


VARIANT  OF  THE  THREE  NOODLES.  41 

was  to  fall  on  his  head  and  kill  him,  what  a  dreadful  thing  it  would 
be  !  "  "  Dear,  dear  !  what  a  dreadful  thing  it  would  be  !"  said  the 
mother,  and  she  sat  her  down  a-sido  of  the  daughter  and  started 
a-crying  too. 

Then,  after  a  bit,  the  father  began  to  wonder  that  they  didn't  come 
back,  and  he  went  down  into  the  cellar  to  look  after  them  himself, 
and  there  they  two  sat  a-crying,  and  the  beer  running  all  over  the 
floor.  "Whatever  is  the  matter?"  says  he.  *' Why,"  says  the  mother, 
<*look  at  that  horrid  axe.  Just  suppose,  if  our  daughter  and  her 
sweetheart  was  to  be  married,  and  was  to  have  a  son,  and  he  was  to 
grow  up,  and  was  to  come  down  into  the  cellar  to  draw  the  beer,  and 
the  axe  was  to  fall  on  his  head  and  kill  him,  what  a  dreadful  thing  it 
would  be !  "  "  Dear,  dear,  dear  !  so  it  would  !  "  said  the  father,  and 
he  sat  himself  down  aside  of  the  other  two,  and  started  a-crying. 

Now  the  gentleman  got  tired  of  stopping  up  in  the  kitchen  by  him- 
self, and  at  last  he  went  down  into  the  cellar  too  to  see  what  they 
were  after ;  and  there  they  three  sat  a-crying  side  by  side,  and  the 
beer  running  all  over  the  floor.  And  he  ran  straight  and  turned  the 
tap.  Then  he  said,  "  Whatever  are  you  three  doing,  sitting  there 
crying,  and  letting  the  beer  run  all  over  the  floor  ?  "  *'  Oh  !  "  says 
the  father,  "  look  at  that  horrid  axe  !  Suppose  you  and  our  daughter 
was  to  be  married,  and  was  to  have  a  son,  and  he  was  to  grow  up,  and 
was  to  come  down  into  the  cellar  to  draw  the  beer,  and  the  axe  was  to 
fall  on  his  head  and  kill  him  !  "  And  then  they  all  started  a-crying 
worse  than  before.  But  the  gentleman  burst  out  a-laughing,  and 
reached  up  and  pulled  out  the  axe,  and  then  he  said,  ''I've  travelled 
many  miles,  and  I  never  met  three  such  big  sillies  as  you  three  before; 
.  and  now  I  shall  start  out  on  my  travels  again,  and  when  I  can  find 
three  bigger  sillies  than  you  three  then  I'll  come  back  and  marry 
your  daughter."  So  he  wished  them  good-bye,  and  started  off"  on  his 
travels,  and  left  them  all  crying  because  the  girl  had  lost  her  sweet- 
heart. 

Well,  he  set  out,  and  he  travelled  a  long  way,  and  at  last  he  came 
to  an  old  woman's  cottage  that  had  some  grass  growing  on  the  roof. 
And  the  old  woman  was  trying  to  get  her  cow  to  go  up  a  ladder  to 
the  grass,  and  the  poor  thing  durstn't  go.     So  the  gentleman  asked 


42  VARIANT  OP  THE  THREE  NOODLES. 

the  old  woman  what  she  was  doi^g.  "  Why,  lookye,"  she  said,  *'  look 
at  all  that  beautiful  grass.  I'm  going  to  get  the  cow  on  to  the  roof  to 
eat  it.  She'll  be  quite  safe,  for  I  shall  tie  a  string  round  her  neck, 
and  pass  it  down  the  chimney,  and  tie  it  to  my  wrist  as  I  go  about 
the  house,  so  she  can't  fall  off  without  my  knowing  it."  "  Oh,  you  poor 
old  silly  !  "  said  the  gentleman,  "  you  should  cut  the  grass  and  throw 
it  down  to  the  cow  !  "  But  the  old  woman  thought  it  was  easier  to 
get  the  cow  up  the  ladder  than  to  get  the  grass  down,  so  she  pushed 
her  and  coaxed  her  and  got  her  up,  and  tied  a  string  round  her  neck, 
and  passed  it  down  the  chimney,  and  fastened  it  to  her  own  wrist. 
And  the  gentleman  went  on  his  way,  but  he  hadn't  gone  far  when  the 
cow  tumbled  off  the  roof,  and  hung  by  the  string  tied  round  her  neck, 
and  it  strangled  her.  And  the  weight  of  the  cow  tied  to  her  wrist 
pulled  the  old  woman  up  the  chimney,  and  she  stuck  fast  half-way 
and  was  smothered  in  the  soot. 

Well,  that  was  one  big  silly. 

And  the  gentleman  went  on  and  on,  and  he  went  to  an  inn  to  stop 
the  night,  and  they  were  so  full  at  the  inn  that  they  had  to  put  him 
in  a  double-bedded  room,  and  another  traveller  was  to  sleep  in  the 
other  bed.  The  other  man  was  a  very  pleasant  fellow,  and  they  got 
veiy  friendly  together  ;  but  in  the  morning,  when  they  were  both 
getting  up,  the  gentleman  was  surprised  to  see  the  other  hang  his 
trousers  on  the  knobs  of  the  chest  of  drawers*  and  run  across  the 
room  and  try  to  jump  into  them,  and  he  tried  over  and  over  again  and 
couldn't  manage  it,  and  the  gentleman  wondered  whatever  he  was 
doing  it  for.  At  last  he  stopped  and  wiped  his  face  with  his  hand- 
kerchief. "  Oh  dear  !  "  he  says,  "  I  do  think  trousers  are  the  most 
awkwardest  kind  of  clothes  that  ever  were.  I  can't  think  who  could 
have  invented  such  things.  It  takes  me  the  best  part  of  an  hour  to 
get  into  mine  every  morning,  and  I  get  so  hot !  How  do  you  manage 
yours  ? "  So  the  gentleman  burst  out  a-laughing,  and  showed  him 
how  to  put  them  on,  and  he  was  very  much  obliged  to  him,  and  said 
he  never  should  have  thought  of  doing  it  that  way. 

So  that  was  another  big  silly. 

*  Chests  of  drawers  with  knobbed  handles  are  an  invention  of  this  century,  so 
this  must  be  a  very  recent  variation  of  the  story. 


TURCOMAN  FOLK-LOBE.  43 

Then  the  gentleman  went  on  his  travels  again  :  and  he  came  to  a 
village,  and  outside  the  village  there  was  a  pond,  and  round  the  pond 
was  a  crowd  of  people.  And  they  had  got  rakes,  and  brooms,  and 
pickels  [=  pitchforks]  reaching  into  the  pond,  and  the  gentleman 
asked  what  was  the  matter.  "  Why,"  they  says,  "  matter  enough  ! 
moon's  tumbled  into  the  pond,  and  we  can't  get  her  out  anyhow  ! " 
So  the  gentleman  burst  out  a-laughing,  and  told  them  to  look  up  into 
the  sky,  and  that  it  was  only  the  shadow  in  the  water.  But  they 
wouldn't  listen  to  him,  and  abused  him  shamefully,  and  he  got  away 
as  quick  as  he  could. 

So  there  was  a  whole  lot  of  sillies  bigger  than  them  all,  and  the 
gentleman  turned  back  home  again  and  married  the  farmer's 
daughter.* 

Charlotte  S.  Burne. 


TURCOMAN  FOLK-LORE. 

Charms. 

pTHIN  the  roof  [of  the  ev= wicker  hut],  and  near  its  top, 
hung  a  couple  of  lamb  or  goat-skins,  turned  inside  out, 
and  smoke-dried.  The  neck-aperture  is  kept  widely  open 
by  four  crossed  sticks.  These  skins  swing  to  and  fro  in 
the  air  current  produced  by  the  fire,  and  are  termed  toonik.  I  have 
repeatedly  questioned  the  Turcomans  as  to  the  meaning  of  this. 
They  evidently  attached  some  mysterious  importance  to  it,  but  were 
loth  to  explain.  Near  the  doorway,  against  the  felt  wall-lining,  is 
sewn  a  piece  of  linen  or  calico,  four  or  five  inches  square,  forming  a 
pocket  for  the  reception  of  the  bounties  of  wandering  spirits.  This 
they  call  the  tarum.     A  horse-shoe,  too,  is  occasionally  to  be  found 

*  References  to  parallel  stories  in  Folk-Lore  Record,  vol.  iii.  p.  156.  See  also 
the  "  Three  Goodies,"  in  Popular  Talcs  from  the  Norse,  and  another  parallel  in 
Campbell's  Tales  of  the  Western  Highlands,  vol.  ii.  No.  xlviii.  Cf.  No.  xx. 


44  TURCOMAN  FOLK-LORE. 

nailed  upon  the  threshold.  These  are  the  principal  superstitious 
usages  of  the  Turcomans.  I  was  surprised  to  find  how  few  they 
were." — Merv ;  a  Story  of  Adventures  and  Captivity  (epitomised  from 
The  Merv  Oasis),  by  Edmund  O'Donovan.  London,  1883,  p.  192. 
"  Tooniks  "  mentioned  also  p.  284. 

Whistling. 

"  Supper  cleared  away,  we  sat  in  the  gloaming  looking  out  over 
the  dimly-lit  plain,  listening  to  the  lowing  and  bleating  of  the  home- 
ward-driven flocks  and  herds  as  they  entered  the  various  walled 
enclosures  where  they  were  placed  for  safety  during  the  night.  A 
curious  Turcoman  superstition  here  came  under  my  notice.  As,  lost 
in  reverie,  I  sat  by  the  window,  half-unconsciously  I  commenced 
whistling  softly  some  snatches  of  tunes.  I  noticed  a  general  move- 
ment of  dissatisfaction  among  my  companions.  They  shifted  in  their 
seats,  looked  uneasily  at  each  other  and  at  me.  At  length  Makdum 
Kuli  touched  me  on  the  shoulder  and  said,  *  For  God's  sake.  Sahib, 
doii't  whistle  any  more.'  I  feared  that  I  had  unwittingly  committed 
some  great  breach  of  decorum,  and,  accordingly,  excusing  myself, 
relapsed  into  silence.  After  a  while  I  whispered  to  the  moullah 
beside  me,  and  asked  why  Makdum  Kuli  objected  to  my  whistling. 
*  Is  it  possible  you  don't  know,'  returned  the  priest,  '  that  at  this  hour 
the  ghouls  and  gins  are  abroad,  and  are  wandering  to  and  fro  ?  If 
they  hear  you  whistle,  they  will  suppose  you  are  calling  them  ;  and, 
Bismallah,  we  have  no  desire  for  their  company.'  I  afterwards  learned 
that  to  whistle  in  the  day-time  is  a  token  of  defiance,  and  not  con- 
sidered proper  when  others  are  by." — Ibid,  pp.  255-256. 

Folk  Medicine. 
"  Before  starting  the  next  morning  some  Turcomans  applied  to  me 
for  medical  advice  and  assistance,  as  was  generally  the  case  when- 
ever I  appeared  at  any  of  the  outlying  villages.  One  brought  with 
him  his  son,  whose  hand  was  badly  inflamed.  I  prescribed  a  poultice 
of  bread  and  milk,  and  gave  detailed  instructions  as  to  how  it  was  to 
be  made.  The  man  listened  with  attention,  and,  thanking  me,  took 
his  leave.     When  he  had  gone  half  a  mile,  he  came  back  again  to  say 


MALAGASY  FOLK-TALES.  45 

that  I  had  omitted  to  tell  him  what  should  be  the  colour  of  the  cow 
whose  milk  was  to  be  used.  He  had,  he  said,  a  brown  cow  and  a 
black  one.  A  woman,  too,  whose  daughter  was  suffering  from  fever, 
brought  me  a  handful  of  camel's  hairy  and  asked  me  to  manufacture 
from  it  a  charm  for  the  cure  of  her  daughter's  illness.  As  I  had  not 
the  slightest  notion  of  what  the  nature  of  the  charm  might  be,  I 
addressed  myself  to  Aman  Niaz  Khan,  who  immediately  undertook  to 
instruct  me.  By  means  of  a  spindle  the  camel's  hair  was  spun  into 
a  stout  thread,  the  Khan  all  the  time  droning  some  verses  from  the 
Koran,  or  some  necromantic  chant.  When  the  thread  was  finished  it 
was  of  considerable  length,  and,  folding  it  three  times  upon  itself,  he 
re-spun  it.  Then  he  proceeded  to  tie  seven  knots  upon  the  string. 
Before  drawing  each  knot  hard  he  blew  upon  it.  This,  tied  into  the 
form  of  a  bracelet,  was  to  be  worn  on  the  wrist  of  the  patient.  Each 
day  one  of  the  knots  was  to  be  untied,  and  blown  upon,  and  when  the 
seventh  knot  had  been  undone  the  whole  of  the  thread  was  to  be  made 
into  a  ball,  and  thrown  into  the  river,  carrying,  as  was  supposed,  the 
illness  with  iV—lbid.  pp.  290-291. 

William  George  Black. 


MALAGASY    FOLK-TALES. 

By  the  Eev.  James  Sibree,  Junior. 


Andriamatoa  and  AndrianjAbok]&ly. 

|NDRIAMAT6A,*  it  is  said,  went  to  obtain  for  his  wife, 
Ramitbviamindreniny  ("  Equal-with-her-Mother  "),  and 
set  off  to  ask  her  from  her  parents. 

So  away  he  went,  and  passed  a  wild-hog,  who  said  to 
him,  "  Just  dig  up  this  fern-root  for  me,  Andriamatoa."     But  he 

*  This  word  is  strictly  not  a  proper  name,  but  a  complimentary  term  given  to 
the  eldest  son  of  a  family,  and  sometimes  loosely  given  in  politeness  to  others. 


46  MALAGASY  FOLK-TALES. 

said,  "  My  good  fellow,  my  fine  clothes  are  enough  for  me  to  be 
troubled  with." 

Then  he  passed  a  crow,  who  said  to  him, "  Just  peel  this  raw  earth- 
nut  for  me,  Andriamatba."  But  he  said,  "  My  good  fellow,  my  fine 
clothes  are  enough  for  me  to  be  troubled  with." 

Then  he  passed  a  wasp,  who  said  to  him,  "  Just  make  me  a  little 
ball  of  clay,  Andriamatba."  But  he  said,  "  My  good  fellow,  my  fine 
clothes  are  enough  for  me  to  be  troubled  with." 

Then  he  passed  a  crocodile,  who  said  to  him,  "Just  kill  an  ox  for 
me,  Andriamatba."  But  he  said,  "  My  good  fellow,  my  fine  clothes 
are  enough  for  me  to  be  troubled  with." 

So  he  came  to  the  house  of  Ramitbviamindreniny's  father  and 
mother,  and  told  them  that  he  desired  their  daughter  for  a  wife.  But 
they  said  to  him,  *'  If  you  desire  Ramitovy  for  a  wife,  go  and  dig 
yonder  field  of  ours  east  of  the  village,  and  finish  it  all  to-day."  Then 
Andriamatba  went  and  worked,  but  hardly  accomplished  anything, 
and  was  weary,  and  so  went  home. 

And  they  said  again,  "  If  you  desire  Ramitovy  for  a  wife,  go  and 
gather  up  all  those  three  measures  of  white  rice  lost  yonder  in  the 
sand  west  of  the  house,  and  if  you  get  it  all  we  will  give  her  to  you 
for  your  wife."  Then  Andriamatba  went  to  gather  up  the  rice,  but 
did  not  get  a  single  handful  until  it  was  evening,  and  he  went  home. 

Then  again  said  Ramitovy's  parents,  *'  If  you  would  really  have  her 
for  a  wife,  go  and  fetch  the  ox  called  Sambilo  from  the  forest ;  for,  if 
you  can  bring  him  here,  Ramitovy  shall  be  your  wife."  So  Andria- 
matba went  to  fetch  the  ox,  and  endeavoured  to  drive  him,  but  without 
success,  for  he  was  exceedingly  fierce ;  so  he  returned  without  bringing 
the  ox. 

Then  again  said  Ramitovy's  father  and  mother,  "  If  you  wish  to 
marry  her,  Andriamatba,  go  and  fetch  those  two  eggs  in  yonder  lake 
east  of  the  village,  for  if  you  can  obtain  them  we  will  give  you 
Ramitovy  for  a  wife."  So  he  went  to  fetch  the  two  eggs  in  the  lake, 
but  when  he  came  to  the  water-side  and  saw  the  numerous  crocodiles 
basking  in  the  sun  he  was  afraid  and  returned. 

Then  said  Ramitovy's  father  and  mother  to  him,  "  You  shall  not 
have  her,  for  you  have  accomplished  nothing  at  all."     Ho  Andriamatba 


MALAGASY  FOLK-TALES.  47 

returned  home  sorrowfully,  for  he  had  not  got  Ramitovy  for  his  wife. 
And  when  he  came  into  the  house  his  younger  brother  (Andrian- 
jibok^ly)  said,  '*  Well,  have  you  obtained  Ramitbviamindreniny  ?  " 
**  No,"  he  replied.  Then  said  Andrianjabokely,  "  Come  then,  I'll 
get  her,  if  you  can't."  But  Andriamatba  said,  "  Why,  if  I  grandly 
dressed  can't  get  her,  how  can  such  a  shabby  fellow  as  you  obtain 
her  ?  "     "  I'll  get  her  "  (or,  "  I  have  it  "),  said  Andrianjabokely.* 

So  Andrianjabokely  set  oflf  to  Ramitovy's  father  and  mother  to  beg 
her  for  his  wife.  And  as  he  went  he  passed  a  wild-hog,  who  said  to 
him,  "  Just  dig  me  this  fern-root,  Andrianjabo."  So  he  dug  up  the 
fern-root  and  gave  it  to  the  wild-hog. 

Then  he  went  on  again  and  passed  by  a  crow,  who  said  to  him, 
"  Just  peel  me  some  raw  earth-nuts,  Andrianjabo."  So  he  peeled 
some  raw  earth-nuts  for  the  crow  and  gave  them  to  him. 

Then  he  went  on  again  and  passed  by  a  wasp,  who  said  to  him, 
"  Just  make  me  a  little  ball  of  clay,  Andrianjabo."  So  he  made  him 
a  little  ball  of  clay  and  gave  it  to  him. 

Then  he  went  on  again  and  passed  by  a  crocodile,  who  said  to  him, 
"  Just  kill  an  ox  for  me,  Andrianjabo."  So  he  killed  an  ox  and  gave 
it  to  him. 

Then  he  came  to  the  father  and  mother  of  Ramitbviamindreniny. 
So  he  spoke  and  said,  "  I  wish  to  take  Ramitovy  for  my  wife."  Then 
said  her  parents,  *'  If  you  would  have  her  for  your  wife,  go  and  dig 
up  yonder  field  of  ours  east  of  the  village  ;  take  care  and  finish  it 
to-day."  So  he  went  to  work,  and  when  he  came  there  he  called  the 
wild-hogs  and  said,  "  Since  I  have  done  good  to  you,  come  and 
help  me  to  finish  this  work,  for  this  only  prevents  me  having 
Ramitovy  for  a  wife."  So  the  wild-hogs  agreed  to  dig  up  the  rice- 
field,  and  rooted  it  up  with  their  tusks,  so  that  it  was  finished  in  a 
very  short  time ;  so  Andrianjabokely  went  to  the  young  woman's 
parents  and  said,  "  The  work  is  finished,  sir  and  madam." 

Then  again  said  her  parents  to  him,  "  If  you  would  take  her  for  a 
wife,  go  and  pick  up  all  those  three  measures  of  white  rice  scattered 
yonder  west  of  the  compound  amongst  the  sand  ;    for  if  you  can 

♦  Jabo  is  the  Hova  name  of  the  coarse  rqfia  palm  cloth,  woni  only  by  slaves 
and  poor  people. 


48  MALAGASY  FOLK-TALES. 

accomplish  that  we  vnW  give  you  Ramitovy  to  wife."  So  Andrian- 
jabok^ly  went  again  to  collect  the  rice  west  of  the  compound,  and 
called  to  him  the  crows,  saying,  "  Since  I  have  done  good  to  you, 
come  and  help  me,  and  please  collect  up  that  white  rice,  for  that  only 
prevents  me  having  Ramitovy  to  wife."  So  the  crows  agreed  to 
collect  the  white  rice,  and  they  all  took  an  oath  not  to  swallow  what 
they  gathered,  but  every  one  put  it  into  the  basket.  Then  they  all 
gathered  and  collected  the  whole,  which  Andrianjabokely  took  to 
Ramitovy's  father  and  mother,  and  they  were  amazed. 

Then  said  her  parents  to  him,  "  You  shall  have  your  wife,  but  go 
and  fetch  yonder  ox  called  Sambilo  in  the  woods  away  there,  and 
bring  him  here."  So  Andrianjabokely  went  away  to  fetch  the  ox,  but 
he  saw  that  it  was  both  fierce  and  stubborn,  so  he  said,  "  Since  I  have 
done  good  to  you  wasps,  come  drive  me  this  ox,  for  if  I  bring  him 
I  shall  get  Ramitovy  for  my  wife."  Then  the  wasps  came  and  settled 
upon  the  ox,  biting  him  on  the  forehead,  so  that  he  rushed  off  until  he 
came  to  the  girl's  parents.  So  again  they  were  astonished  when  they 
saw  Andrianjabokely  coming  with  the  ox. 

Then  said  they  again  to  him,  "  This  is  the  last  of  all,  and  if  you 
accomplish  it  Ramitovy  shall  surely  be  your  wife.  Go  and  fetch  those 
two  eggs  in  the  lake  east  of  the  village,  for  if  you  get  them  then  she 
shall  be  your  wife."  So  oflf  he  went  again  to  fetch  the  eggs.  And 
coming  to  the  water-side  he  called  out,  "  Since  I  have  done  good  to 
you  crocodiles,  just  bring  me  here  the  two  eggs  in  the  lake,  for  that 
is  the  only  other  thing  to  be  done  before  I  get  Ramitovy  for  a  wife.** 
Then  the  crocodiles  brought  him  the  two  eggs,  and  away  went 
Andrianjabokely  with  them  to  Ramitovy's  father  and  mother.  They 
were  astonished,  and  said  to  him,  "  You  shall  surely  have  our  child, 
for  all  you  have  done  is  thoroughly  completed." 

So  Ramitbvianiindreniny  became  Andrianjabokely's  wife,  and 
astonished  was  Andriamatba  when  he  saw  it. 

Stories  1  stories  1  Legends  !  legends  !  This,  they  say,  is  the  origin 
of  the  old  proverb,  "  Let  not  the  rich  be  proud,  and  let  not  the  poor 
be  disheartened,  for  riches  are  not  (equally)  divided." — Translated 
from  a  contribution  by  the  Rev.  W.  Montgomery  to  the  Publications 
of  the  Malagasy  Folk-Lore  Society, 


Malagasy  folk-tales.  49 

Ibonia. 
(  This  Story  comes  from  Vakinankaratra.) 

Once  upon  a  time  there  were  two  sisters  who  had  no  children,  and  so 
they  went  to  work  the  divination  (siBdy)  at  the  house  of  Ratoboboka. 
As  soon  as  they  came  in  she  asked,  "  Why  have  you  come  here  ?  "  The 
sisters  replied,  "  We  are  childless,  and  so  have  come  to  inquire  by  divi- 
nation here  of  you."  Then  said  Ratoboboka,  "  Look  into  my  hair."  So 
the  elder  one  looked  and  saw  only  a  bit  of  grass ;  then  she  said,  "  I  saw 
nothing,  mother,  but  this  bit  of  grass."  Ratoboboka  replied,  *  Give 
it  me,  for  that  is  it."  Then  the  younger  girl  searched,  and  saw  only 
a  little  bit  of  broken  charm,  red  in  colour ;  so  she  said,  "  1  saw 
nothing,  mother,  but  this  little  bit  of  a  red  charm."  Ratoboboka 
replied,  "  Give  it  me,  for  that  is  it."  And  upon  this,  Ratoboboka 
said,  "  Go  alone  to  yonder  forest  to  the  east ;  and  when  you  have 
arrived  there  the  trees  will  all  speak  and  say,  '  I  am  the  sacred  child- 
charm';  but  do  not  you  speak  for  all  that,  but  take  the  single  tree 
which  does  not  speak  there,  last  of  all,  and  take  its  root  which  lies  to 
the  east."  So  the  two  girls  went  away.  And  when  they  came  to  the 
forest  each  of  the  trees  said,  "I  am  the  sacred  child-charm"  {i.e.  which 
causes  the  barren  to  bring  forth).  Nevertheless  the  sisters  passed 
them  all  by.  And  when  they  came  to  the  single  one  which  did  not 
speak,  they  dug  round  the  tree,  and  saw  one  of  the  roots  which  struck 
eastwards,  which  they  thereupon  took  away. 

And  when  they  were  on  the  road  the  sisters  vowed,  saying,  "If  wc 
should  bear  boy  and  girl  (i.e.  if  one  have  a  boy  and  the  other  a  girl), 
they  shall  marry  each  other."  And  when  they  came  home  they  each 
drank  (of  the  charm).  Accordingly  the  elder  one  became  pregnant ; 
and  after  a  half-year  had  passed  the  younger  also  was  with  child. 
And  when  the  time  came  for  her  to  be  delivered  the  elder  sister  bore  a 
daughter,  and  she  called  its  name  Rasbamananbro  (or  Rampelasba- 
mananbro).  In  due  time  came  the  day  for  her  younger  sister  to  be 
delivered,  so  she  went  to  the  south  of  the  hearth  to  bring  forth  her 
child.  But  the  child  in  her  womb,  they  say,  spoke  and  said,  "  I  am 
not  a  slave,  to  be  taken  here  south  of  the  hearth "  ;  so  his  mother 
went  north  of  the  hearth.  But  it  spoke  again,  "  I  am  not  a  prince,  to 
be  taken  north  of  the  hearth."     Then  his  mother  took  him  to  the  box, 

Vol.  2.— Part  2.  e 


50  MALAGASY  F0LK-TALE8. 

but  it  said,  '*  I  do  not  like  to  be  smoked."  After  some  time,  it  said, 
"  Make  a  big  fire  of  wood."  So  they  made  it.  Then  it  said  again, 
"  Swallow  a  knife  for  rae,  and  take  me  west  of  the  hearth."  So  he 
was  taken  there.  And  having  come  there,  with  the  knife  his  mother 
had  swallowed  he  ripped  up  his  mother's  womb,  and  then  leaped  into 
the  fire  which  burned  brightly  there,  after  having  patted  the  wound 
which  he  had  made  by  ripping  up  his  mother,  so  that  it  was  healed. 
Then  his  father  and  mother  endeavoured  to  save  him,  lest  he  should 
be  killed  through  going  into  the  fire ;  but  when  they  thrust  out  their 
hands  to  take  him  they  were  broken  and  unable  to  take  hold  of  him  ; 
and  so  it  happened  with  their  feet  as  well. 

And  after  a  while  the  child  spoke  thus  :  •*  Give  me  a  name."  Then 
said  his  mother,  *'  Perhaps  yon  should  be  called  Fbzanatokbndrilahy, 
for  I  hear  that  he  was  a  strong  man."  But  the  child  did  not  like  it ; 
so  his  mother  mentioned  another  name,  and  said,  "  Perhaps  Ravato- 
vblovoay  then,  for  he,  I  understand,  was  famous  for  his  strength." 
But  he  did  not  like  that  either.  So  the  child  gave  himself  a  name, 
and  said,  "  I  am  Iboniamasy,  Iboniamanbro :  breaking  in  pieces 
{manbro)  the  earth  and  the  kingdom  ;  at  the  point  of  its  bonis,  not 
gored;  beneath  its  hoofs,  not  trampled  on;  on  its  molar  teeth,  not 
crushed.  Rising  up,  I  break  the  heavens  ;  and  when  I  bow  down  the 
earth  yawns  open.  My  robe,  when  folded  up,  is  but  a  span  long ; 
but  when  spread  out  it  covers  the  heavens,  and  when  it  is  shaken  it  is 
like  the  lightning.  My  loin-cloth,  when  rolled  together,  is  but  the 
size  of  a  fist,  but  when  unfolded  it  surrounds  the  ocean ;  its  tongue 
(when  girded)  causes  the  dew  to  descend,  and  its  tail  sweeps  away  the 
rocks.  Ah  I  I  am  indeed  Iboniamasy,  Iboniamanbro."  And  having 
spoken  thus  he  came  out  from  the  fire  and  went  upon  his  mother's 
lap. 

And  after  he  had  grown  up  he  had  a  dog  called  Rampelamahav^tra. 
One  day  while  he  was  hunting  in  the  fields,  there  came  that  famous 
man  called  Fbzanatokbndrilahy  to  seek  for  Ibonia,  and  inquired  of  his 
parents,  "  Where  is  Ibonia  ? "  They  replied,  "  He  has  gone  for 
pleasure  into  the  forest."  So  he  took  Ibonia's  dog,  for  the  parents 
could  not  prevent  it.  And  as  soon  as  Ibonia  returned  from  hunting 
he  asked  his  parents,  "  Where  has  my  dog  gone  ?  "  They  replied, 
"  Fbzanatokbndrilahy  has  taken  him."  So  he  said,  *'  I  am  going  to 
fetch  my  dog,  father."  But  his  father  would  not  let  him,  for  he  said, 
"  Why,  child,  even  the  crocodiles  in  the  water  are  sought  by  F6zana- 


MALAGASY  FOLK-TALES.  51 

tokbndrilahy,  and  found,  and  liow  can  you  fight  with  him  without 
coming  to  harm  ?  "  But  his  father,  seeing  that  he  would  not  be 
warned,  made  him  fetch  a  great  stone,  in  order  to  see  the  strength  of 
his  son ;  then  he  said,  "  Since  I  can't  persuade  you,  fetch  me  yonder 
big  stone  to  make  me  a  seat."  So  he  went  and  fetched  it.  Then  his 
father  let  him  go.  So  off  he  went  and  came  up  with  Fbzanatokbndri- 
lahy.  And  when  the  latter  saw  him  he  said,  "  What  are  you  seeking 
for  here  ? "  Ibonia  replied,  "  I  want  my  dog."  So  he  asked  him, 
"  Are  you  strong  ?  "  "  Yes,"  replied  Ibonia,  "  I  am  strong."  And 
no  sooner  had  he  said  so  than  Fbzanatokbndrilahy  seized  him,  and 
threw  him  more  than  the  length  of  a  house.  Then  Ibonia  seized  him 
in  his  turn,  and  threw  him  also  as  far  as  the  length  of  a  house.  And 
so  they  went  on,  first  one  and  then  the  other,  until  each  had  thrown 
his  opponent  as  far  as  ten  house  lengths.  Then  said  Fbzanatokbndri- 
lahy, "  Don't  let  us  throw  each  other  any  more,  but  cast  each  other 
down  "  (a  descent).  So  he  lifted  Ibonia  up  and  cast  him  down,  but 
he  did  not  fall,  but  stuck  in  the  ground  as  far  as  his  ancles  ;  then  he, 
in  turn,  cast  down  Fbzanatokbndrilahy,  who  descended  as  far  as  his 
knees.  And  so  they  went  on  with  each  other  until  Fbzanatokbndrilahy 
was  forced  completely  into  the  ground,  that  is,  the  rock  on  which  they 
were  contending,  and  Ibonia  pressed  down  the  stones  upon  him  so 
that  he  was  quite  covered  up. 

Then  Ibonia  called  together  Fbzanatokbndrilahy 's  subjects  and 
asked  them,  '^  Will  you  obey  the  living,  or  the  dead  ? "  So  his  wife 
and  people  replied,  "  We  will  obey  the  living,  sir."  So  they  became 
Ibonia's  subjects,  and  he  departed  with  all  his  spoil. 

And  on  his  way  back  a  number  of  people  met  him  who  were  each 
skilled  in  various  ways.  Some  were  swimmers  in  deep  waters,  others 
were  able  to  tie  firmly,  others  again  were  able  to  see  at  great  dis- 
tances, others  were  able  to  make  alive;  and  all  these  Ibonia  showed 
kindness  to,  and  gave  them  a  share  of  the  spoil  which  he  had 
obtained.  So  he  went  on  his  way  back  and  came  to  his  village. 
Arriving  there  he  could  not  find  Rampelasbam^nanbro,  his  betrothed 
wife,  for  she  had  been  taken  by  Ravatovblovoay.  So  he  asked  his 
parents,  "  Where  has  my  wife  gone  ?  "  They  replied,  "  She  has  been 
taken  by  Ravatovblovoay."  So  he  said,  "  I  am  going  to  fetch  my 
wife."  When  they  heard  that,  his  parents  they  warned  him,  saying, 
"  Don't  do  that,  child,  for  Ravatovblovoay  is  extremely  powerful." 
But  he  would  not  stay.     So  at  last  his  father  got  angry  and  took  gun 

e2 


52  MALAGASY  FOLK-TALES. 

and  spear  to  kill  him,  but  he  could  do  nothing  to  harm  him,  for  the 
spear  bent  double  when  he  hurled  it.  Upon  that,  Ibonia  planted 
some  arums  and  plantain-trees,  and  said  to  his  parents,  "  If  these  grow 
withered,  then  I  am  ill ;  and  if  they  die,  that  is  a  sign  that  I  also  am 
dead."  That  being  done,  he  went  away  and  came  to  an  old  man  who 
took  care  of  Ravatov6lovoay's  plantain-trees,  and  asked  him, "  What  is 
it  you  take  with  you,  when  you  go  to  visit  your  master?"*  The  old 
man  replied,  "  A  few  plantains,  and  some  rice  with  honey,  my  lad." 
So  in  the  morning — for  he  slept  there  that  night— he  plucked  off  the 
old  man's  hair  from  his  head  so  that  the  whole  skin  from  his  body 
came  away  with  it.  Then  Ibonia  covered  himself  with  it,  while  he 
fetched  some  plantains  and  prepared  rice  and  honey  to  take  to  Rava- 
tovblovoay.  So  he  came  presently  to  his  village;  and  when  the 
people  there  saw  him  they  said,  "  The  old  man's  come,"  for  they  did 
not  know  Ibonia,  because  he  was  covered  with  the  old  man's  skin. 
Then  he  said,  "  I  am  come,  children,  to  visit  you."  So  they  took  the 
plantains  and  the  rice  which  he  had  brought  to  the  prince,  for  Ravk- 
tovblovoay  was  a  prince.  And  they  cooked  rice  for  the  old  man 
(Ibonia)  and  gave  it  to  him  in  the  servants*  plate,  but  he  would  not 
eat  from  that,  but  said,  "  Fetch  me  a  plantain-leaf  on  which  to  eat.f 
You  know  well  enough  how  well  my  wife  and  I  live,  so  why  do  you 
give  me  such  a  plate  as  that?"  On  the  day  following  his  arrival,  it 
was  announced  that  the  chief  would  have  sport  with  throwing  at  a 
mark  with  a  cross-piece  of  wood,  and  so  the  old  man  went  with  the 
rest.  When  they  came  to  the  place  where  the  mark  was  set  up,  the 
chief  aimed  at  it,  but  not  one  of  the  people  could  hit  it.  Then  said 
the  old  man,  "  Just  give  me  a  cord  that  I  may  catch  hold  of  it."  So 
they  gave  him  one,  and  he  was  successful  with  the  one  the  chief  had 
missed.  Then  the  chief  said,  "  This  is  not  the  old  man,  but  some  one 
altogether  diflferent,  so  give  a  spear  and  gun  that  I  may  attack  him." 
But  the  old  man  said,  '*  Why,  who  else  is  it  but  me,  my  son,  for  I 
am  only  showing  the  strength  I  used  to  possess?  "  So  the  chief  let  him 
off,  and  went  on  playing  with  the  cross-piece  of  wood.  And  as  they 
went  on  with  the  game  the  old  man  pressed  in  with  the  rest,  but  did 

*  A  Malagasy  seldom  visits  a  superior  without  taking  some  present  or  offering. 

t  Fresh  plantain  leaves,  or  the  leaves  of  the  traveller's  tree,  were  the  original 
plates  and  dishes  of  the  Malagasy;  and  are  still  used  as  such  by  the  coast  tribes 
and  forest  people.  Even  where  the  people  have  plates,  leaves  are  often  placed 
upon  them  to  receive  rice  and  other  food. 


MALAGASY  FOLK-TALES.  53 

not  obtain  what  he  aimed  at,  for  the  cross-piece  went  into  the  earth 
and  brought  up  a  hedgehog,  and  dipped  into  the  water  and  brought 
out  a  crocodile.  Then  Ravatovblovoiiy  said  again, "  Did  I  not  tell  you 
that  this  is  not  the  old  man,  but  some  one  else?"  And  again  he 
sought  to  kill  him ;  but  the  old  man  spake  as  before,  and  so  Rava- 
tovblovoay  again  refrained. 

On  the  day  following  after  that  again,  the  chiefs  orders  came 
saying,  "  To  day  we  will  try  the  tempers  of  the  oxen,*  therefore 
make  ropes  to  catch  the  stubborn  ones."  And  when  they  began  the 
game  very  many  of  the  stronger  oxen  could  not  be  caught.  Then 
said  the  old  man  (Ibonia),  "  Just  give  me  a  rope."  So  they  gave 
him  one,  and  he  caught  the  strong  oxen  and  held  them ;  and  the 
people  wondered  when  they  saw  it.  And  when  the  chief  saw  it,  he 
said  again,  "  This  cannot  be  the  old  man,  but  some  one  else."  But  the 
people  replied,  «  But  who  else  can  it  be?"  Then  the  old  man  answered 
again  as  he  had  done  before,  viz.  that  he  was  no  one  else,  but  was 
merely  showing  his  strength.     So  the  players  dispersed. 

And  upon  the  following  night,  Ravatovblovoay  went  to  his  other  wife ; 
and  upon  that  the  old  man  (Ibonia)  went  to  the  house  where  Rampe- 
lasbamananbro  was,  and  said,  "  Let  me  lie  here  by  the  side  of  your 
feet."  But  she  replied,  "  Why,  what  a  wretch  you  must  be,  old  man, 
to  say  such  a  thing  to  me,  and  speak  of  lying  at  my  side."  But 
when  the  people  were  fast  asleep,  Ibonia  took  off  the  skin  of  the  old 
man  with  which  he  had  covered  himself,  and  there  was  a  blaze  of 
light  in  the  house  because  of  the  shining  of  the  skin  of  Ibonia.  Then 
his  wife  knew  him,  and  said,  **Is  it  you  who  have  come?"  "Yes," 
said  he,  "  I  have  come  to  fetch  you."  So  he  bade  the  people  go  out 
of  the  house.  And  when  they  had  gone  out  he  bolted  and  barred  the 
doors,  and  sat  down  to  wait  for  the  morning,  that  he  might  show 
some  marvellous  things  to  the  people  of  the  village.  Then  said 
Rampela  to  Ibonia,  "How  shall  we  get  free  from  here? "  He  replied, 
"  Don't  be  afraid,  for  we  shall  get  out  all  right ;  but  take  heed 
what  I  say:  do  not  speak  to  me  or  beckon  to  me,   for  if   you  do 

*  The  literal  translation  of  the  original  here  is,  "  Let  us  catch  the  ticks  [of 
the  oxen],"  an  operation  which  could  only  be  performed  with  very  gentle 
animals.  Games  with  oxen  were  formerly  favourite  amusements  of  the  Hova, 
and  are  still  so  with  other  Malagasy  tribes.  Bull-figLting  was  a  favourite 
pastime  of  the  chiefs,  and  wrestling  with  oxen,  and  bringing  them  down  by  sheer 
strength  is  also  practised  at  funerals  among  the  Betsileo,  and  is  also  as  common 
among  the  Sihanaka,  and  probably  with  other  tribes  as  well. 


54  MALAGASY  FOLK-TALES. 

either  they  will  kill  me."  So  in  the  morning,  when  Ravatovolovoay 
awoke,  he  found  that  the  door  of  the  house  where  Rampcla  was  was 
locked.  Then  he  said  to  the  people,  "  Isn't  it  just  as  I  told  you,  that 
this  is  not  the  old  man,  but  another  person  ?  "  So  he  tried  to  break 
open  the  door;  but  the  door  became  like  a  rock,  and  he  could  not  force 
it.  Then  he  set  fire  to  the  thatch  of  the  roof  ;  but  it  would  not  burn, 
but  rather  dropped  down  water.  Then  he  dug  round  the  foundation  of 
the  house ;  but  that  also  became  as  rock. 

And  so,  all  his  attempts  being  unavailing,  at  last  Ibonia  and 
Rampela  prepared  to  go  out,  and  Ibonia  caused  a  profound  sleep 
to  fall  upon  all  the  people  outside  the  house,  so  that  every  one  slept. 
Then  he  said  to  her,  "  Let  us  go,  but  do  not  speak  to  me  or  beckon 
to  me."  So  they  went  out,  and  stepped  over  all  the  people  who  slept 
along  the  road  they  travelled.  And  when  they  came  to  the  gateway, 
he  beckoned  to  a  lad  and  bade  him  awake  the  people.  So  the  lad 
awoke  and  roused  up  all  the  people,  and  Ravatov6lovoky  as  well.  Then 
said  he,  "  Bring  quickly  guns  and  spears;  and  come,  let  us  pursue 
them!"  So  away  they  went,  and  shot  at  them  with  their  guns;  but 
when  the  smoke  rolled  away  there  was  the  pair  going  along  without 
any  harm.  And  so  they  went  on  without  any  mischance,  until  they 
came  to  the  water-side;  but  when  they  got  there  the  wife  beckoned 
to  him  to  ask  him  where  to  ford.  But  the  moment  she  did  so  he  was 
struck  by  a  bullet,  and  fell  back  into  the  water  and  was  dead.  Then 
came  up  Ravatovolovoay  to  Rampcla  and  asked  what  she  wished  to 
do,  to  follow  the  living  or  the  dead?  She  replied,  "  I  will  follow  the 
living,  sir,"  at  the  same  time  excusing  herself  to  him. 

And  so  Ibonia  met  his  death,  and  his  parents  looked  upon  the 
arums  and  the  plaintain-trees  which  he  had  left  with  them  as  a  token ; 
and  when  they  saw  them  dried  up  they  lamented  him,  because  the 
things  were  dead  which  he  had  given  them  as  a  sign  about  himself. 
However,  his  friends  to  whom  he  had  made  presents  when  he  came 
from  conquering  Fbzanatokbndrilahy  had  by  no  means  forgotten  him, 
and  one  day  Joiner-together  and  his  companions  said  to  the  Far-off- 
seer,  "  Look  out  for  Ibonia,  lest  some  harm  should  hjive  befallen  him." 
So  he  looked  and  said  "  Ibonia  is  dead  ;  and  behold,  yonder  stream 
is  carrying  away  his  bones."  Then  said  they  all  (Far-off-seer  and 
Joiner-together  and  Life-giver)  to  Strong-swimmer :  "  Do  you  go 
and  gather  together  those  bones."  So  he  went  and  gathered  all  the 
bones.     Then  Joiner-together  united   them,  so  that  they  all   came 


MALAGASY  FOLK-TALES.  55 

together  again,  and  Life-giver  made  them  live.  And  they  continued 
invoking  blessings  until  flesh  grew  and  a  little  breath  came,  and  until 
he  could  eat  a  little  rice,  and  so  on,  until  at  length  he  could  eat  as 
he  had  formerly  been  used  to  do.  And  when  he  was  alive  again  he 
prepared  to  go  and  fetch  his  wife  away  from  Kavatov6lovoay.  So 
he  went  off,  and  when  he  came  to  his  village  there  was  the  chief 
playing  the  game  called  fanbrona  (something  like  ''fox  and  geese") 
above  the  gateway.  When  he  saw  Ibonia  he  asked  him,  "  Where  are 
you  going?"  Said  Ibonia,  "To  get  my  wife";  and,  having  thus 
answered  each  other,  Ibonia  struck  him  with  the  palm  of  his  hand, 
and  he  became  as  grease  in  his  hand ;  so  Ibonia  got  everything  that 
had  belonged  to  Ravatovblovoay. 

A  concise  outline  of  another  variant  of  the  story  of  Ibonia  is  given 
by  the  Rev.  J.  Richardson  in  the  third  number  of  the  Antananarivo 
Annual^  pp.  102-104;  and,  as  this  differs  in  several  respects  from  the 
foregoing,  I  shall  venture  to  quote  it  here  in  full.  Mr.  Richardson 
entitles  it 

The  History  of  Andrmnarisaindbomamasohoniamanbro, 

A  prince  who  lived  in  the  centre  of  the  land  had  long  been  mar- 
ried, but  no  child  had  been  born  to  him.  He  and  his  wife,  anxious 
to  become  parents,  sought  out  an  old  woman  who  could  work  an 
oracle,  and  she  told  them  what  to  do  to  bring  about  the  gratification 
of  their  wishes.  They  carried  out  her  instructions  by  going  into  the 
forest  and  seeking  out  a  suitable  tree,  and  before  it  offered  as  a  sacri- 
fice a  sheep  and  a  goat.  In  due  time  a  son  was  born  in  a  most  won- 
derful manner.  They  gave  him  the  name  of  Bonia ;  and  he  appro- 
priated to  himself  a  razor  his  mother  had  swallowed,  and  used  it  ever 
afterwards  as  a  wonder-working  stafi". 

Another  prince  and  his  wife  were  also  childless.  They  too  sought 
out  the  old  woman;  and  by  carrying  out  her  instructions  obtained  a 
daughter;  but  she  was  a  cripple  and  deformed.  They  called  her 
Raketabblamena,  or,  as  I  will  render  it,  "  The  Golden  Beauty."  This 
girl,  ashamed  of  her  lot,  threatened  to  destroy  herself  if  her  father 
and  mother  would  not  station  her  on  an  island  at  some  distance  from 
their  home.  The  poor  father  and  mother  were  constrained  soiTowfully 
to  carry  out  her  wish.  To  this  lake  the  sons  of  several  other  princes 
resorted  for  wild-bird  shooting,  and  were  attracted  to  the  house  in 


56  MALAGASY  FOLK-TALE8. 

which  Golden  Beauty  dwelt  by  seeing  her  scfirlet  umbrella;*  but  her  ser- 
vant so  efifectually  hid  herself  and  her  mistress  that  the  young  fellows 
betook  themselves  oflf  in  fright.  In  the  course  of  time  Bonia  came  to  the 
lake ;  and,  having  been  foiled  in  his  first  attempt  to  find  her,  he  made 
a  second  excursion,  and  his  visit  ended  in  his  taking  Beauty  home  as 
his  wife,  to  the  delight  of  all  concerned. 

Somewhere  across  the  waters  to  the  west  there  lived  a  monster  of 
a  man  called  Raivato,  who  had  the  power  of  instantly  transporting 
himself  to  any  part  of  the  world.  Hearing  of  Bonia's  beautiful  wife, 
he  determines  to  carry  her  ofif,  and,  taking  advantage  of  Bonia's 
absence,  he  accomplished  his  purpose.  Bonia  set  out  after  him ;  and  in 
his  travels  he  met  with  three  men  "  in  the  shape  of  God,"  called 
respectively,  Prince  Bone-setter,  Prince  Flesh-and-muscle-producer, 
and  Prince  Life-giver.  He  gave  them  food,  and  each  adopted  him  as 
his  child. 

He  again  set  out  on  his  search.  The  sea  was  no  obstacle  to  him, 
for  he  planted  his  staff  in  the  ground,  uttered  his  talismanic  phrase, 
and  walked  over  as  on  dry  land.  The  crocodiles  too  came  to  his  help, 
the  eels  and  whales,  &c.  carried  him ;  and  when  safely  over,  deter- 
mined to  test  the  reality  of  the  powers  of  Bone-setter,  Muscle- 
producer,  and  Life-giver,  he  uttered  his  talismanic  phrase,  thrust  his 
staff  into  the  ground,  and  lo !  he  dies,  only  to  be  brought  to  life  again 
by  their  aid  after  three  days. 

Off  he  set  again,  and  presently  came  up  with  Raivato's  gardener. 
His  spear  caused  the  man  to  shed  his  skin;  and,  having  clothed 
himself  in  that,  he  gained  admission  into  Raivato's  strongly  fortified 
town,  and  revealed  himself  to  his  long-lost  wife.  Raivato's  gods 
informed  him  of  Bonia's  arrival  and  a  terrible  fight  ensued;  but 
Bonia's  staff  gives  him  the  victory.  He  kills  the  monster  and  takes 
his  wife  home  ;  not  only  so,  but,  to  tlie  joy  of  all  people,  he  restored 
to  her  lawful  husband  each  and  every  woman  whom  Raivato  had  car- 
ried oflf  1 

Such,  leaving  out  the  genealogy  of  each  person  concerned,  the 
conversations,  &c.,  all  of  which  are  given  with  the  greatest  minuteness, 
is  the  wonderful  history  of  Bonia. 

As  already  remarked,  other  versions  of  this  story  of  Ibonia  would 
require  a  separate  book  devoted   to  them  were  they  given  in  full. 

*  This  is  one  of  the  insignia  of  royalty  and  chieftainship  in  Madagascar. 


NOTES  AND  QUERIES.  57 

Mr.  Dahle's  longest  variant  of  the  story  occupies  forty-six  pages  of 
type,  and  includes  a  great  number  of  incidents  not  contained  in 
either  of  the  foregoing,  and  a  good  deal  more  of  the  marvel- 
lous. In  this  variant  a  locust  comes  out  of  the  fire,  settles  on  the 
head  of  Ibonia's  mother,  sinks  into  her  body,  and  so  becomes  the 
origin  of  the  wonderful  child.  A  long  conversation  is  held  between 
the  child  and  its  mother  before  its  birth  as  to  where  he  should  be 
brought  forth,  a  great  number  of  places  being  proposed,  but  succes- 
sively rejected  for  various  reasons,  until  at  length  he  is  born  while  his 
mother  sits  in  a  golden  chair  of  immense  size.  Wonderful  portents 
accompany  his  birth  ;  for  he  announces  that  he  is  "  God  upon  earth," 
and  that  a  thousand  canoes  could  not  bear  him  over  the  water,  &c. 
All  living  things  are  broken,  the  rocks  and  the  heavens  resound,  the 
earth  turns  upside  down ;  and  this,  they  say,  was  the  origin  of  earth- 
quakes. But  it  would  be  tedious  to  go  more  into  detail.  It  must 
suffice  to  say  that  in  this  tale  in  its  varying  forms  the  native  imagina- 
tion has  run  riot  in  its  love  of  the  marvellous,  and  strange  distortions 
of  certain  grand  truths  appear  here  and  there  in  its  wordy  minuteness 
of  detail.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  a  complete  version  and  translation  of 
this  exuberant  product  of  Malagasy  fancy  will  some  day  be  published 
with  full  illustrative  notes,  so  that  English  readers  may  judge  of  the 
merits  of  this  Ramayana  of  Madagascar,  describing  the  extraordinary 
adventures  of  its  hero,  Andrianarisainaboniamasoboniaman6ro. 


NOTES  AND   QUERIES. 

Some  Games  played  by  modern  Greeks. —(Reprinted  from  the 
Athenceum,  Dec.  29,  1883.)— Whilst  travelling  in  the  Greek  islands 
I  came  across  several  curious  games  played  by  the  boys  on  level 
spaces  outside  the  villages.  Samos  was  especially  conspicuous  for  the 
vigour  of  its  young  athletes,  for  the  Samiotes  are  by  nature  a  wild, 
independent  race,  making  terrible  brigands,  when  from  home  the 
dread  of  the  Asiatic  coast.  So  effectual  has  been  their  resistance  to 
the  Turks  that  they  have  gained  for  themselves  a  prince  of  their  own, 
and  only  pay  a  small   tribute  to  the   Porte.     When  Crete  revolts 


58  NOTES  AND  QUERIES. 

Sami'otes  go  over  to  assist,  yet  at  home  they  are  a  law-abiding  and 
vigorous  race.     Their  games,  in  short,  illustrate  their  character. 

First  I  will  mention  the  game  of  v6aa  ;  "  How  many  ?  "  a  curious 
rough  species  of  morra.  Four,  six,  or  more  lads  divide  themselves 
into  sides,  choosing  two  leaders.  One  leader  takes  up  a  stone,  the 
other  guesses  in  which  hand  it  is,  and  if  he  is  wrong  he  and  his  party 
turn  their  backs  to  be  mounted  by  their  opponents.  The  leader,  as 
soon  as  he  has  jumped  on  the  back  of  the  opponent  leader,  puts  one 
hand  over  the  eyes  of  his  ?<3ov,  or  beast  of  burden,  as  he  is  termed, 
and  with  the  other  catches  him  a  smart  cufF  on  the  head  as  a  sign  of 
subjection.  After  that  he  holds  up  as  many  fingers  in  the  air  as  he 
likes,  crying  rroaa ;  and  the  l&ov  has  to  guess.  One  after  the  other 
they  receive  a  cufF  on  the  head,  and  have  to  guess,  until  at  length  a 
happy  Ka^ov  is  right,  and  the  riders  become  the  beasts  of  burden. 

This  game  often  degenerates  into  the  Samiote  leapfrog,  "olive,  first 
olive,  second  olive,"  &c.,  as  it  is  there  called.  There  exists  too  a  more 
intricate  and  quite  an  acrobatical  form  of  leapfrog  in  Samos,  called 
iiypiog  irpo<TKi<f>a\aSoQj  which  is  played  thus.  A  boy,  chosen  for  the 
purpose,  kneels  on  two  shoes,  presumably  to  preserve  the  knees  of  his 
trousers,  thereby  showing  a  thoughtfulness  not  usually  evinced  by 
English  boys  on  like  occasions  ;  two  others  lean  against  him  to 
support  him,  one  on  either  side,  and  then  the  fun  begins.  The  "  first 
olive,"  or  player,  comes  up,  places  his  head  on  the  head  of  the 
kneeling  boy,  his  hands  on  his  shoulders,  and  turns  a  somersault. 
This  goes  on  in  rapid  succession,  and  strikes  a  casual  observer  as  a 
game  which  must  result  in  frequent  disasters. 

But  nothing  I  ever  saw  played  can  equal  in  roughness  yXud)  Kpaal^ 
"  sweet  wine,"  as  they  euphoniously  name  it.  A  boy  sits  in  the  middle 
with  one  end  of  a  long  rope  in  his  hand  ;  another  boy  takes  the  rope 
after  the  fashion  of  a  whip.  The  object  is  for  the  boys  around  to 
belabour  the  boy  in  the  middle  without  getting  hit  with  the  rope. 
Whilst  playing  this  game  I  have  seen  many  ugly  blows  given  and 
received,  but,  I  am  bound  to  say,  with  the  greatest  good  nature. 

'o  TraTrac,  "  the  father,"  is  another  rough  game  of  the  same  nature. 
Four  boys  stand  linked  together  with  their  arms  round  each  other's 
shoulders  and  their  faces  inwards ;  in  this  position  they  move  round 


NOTES  AND  QUERIES.  59 

and  round,  whilst  the  others  take  it  in  turn  to  try  and  jump  on  their 
backs  ;  those  who  succeed  are  all  right,  but  those  who  do  not  have  to 
receive  a  cut  on  their  backs  from  a  rope  which  6  TraTrag,  a  boy  deputed 
to  the  office,  holds  in  his  hands. 

Finally  we  have  the  <T<paXpa,  or  game  of  ball,  so  closely  resembling 
our  game  of  cricket  in  many  of  its  points  that  my  curiosity  was 
excited.  Was  it  only  a  base  imitation  of  our  noble  game,  or  was  ours 
but  an  improvement  on  it  ?  It  is  played  in  this  wise  :  there  are  five 
usually  on  each  side ;  there  is  a  stone  for  a  wicket,  but  instead  of  a 
bat  only  the  hand  is  used  ;  the  ball  is  simply  thrown  at  the  stone  by 
the  bowler,  and  if  the  player  hits  the  ball  to  a  certain  distance  he 
counts  one,  but  there  is  no  running  ;  if  the  stone  is  hit  or  the  ball  is 
caught  his  innings  is  over.  Old  men  I  asked  said  they  had  known 
e<pa~ipa  played  in  exactly  the  same  way  when  they  were  young,  and 
had  heard  their  fathers  make  the  same  remark.  In  short,  they  were 
indignant  at  the  very  notion  of  its  being  a  game  borrowed  from  else- 
where, and  claimed  for  it  the  greatest  antiquity.     J.  Theodore  Bent. 

Nursery  Rhymes  and  Proverbs. — From  Aberdeen  and  its  Folk, 
published  Aberdeen,  1868,  I  extract  the  following  nursery  rhymes 
which  are  not  in  Mr.  Gregor's  Folk-Lore  of  the  North-East  of  Scot- 
land : 

*•  Tam  o'  the  lynn,  wi's  wife  an's  mither, 
They  gaed  a'  to  the  kirk  thegither." 

"  Peter,  my  neeper, 

Had  a  wife, 
And  he  couldna'  keep  her, 

He  pat  her  i'  the  wa', 
And  lat  a'  the  mice  eat  her." 

There  are  also  given  some  Scotch  proverbs,  some  of  them  peculiar 
to  the  granite  city  or  the  district  around. 

*'  Saut  I  quo'  the  Sutor,  when  he  ate  the  coo  and  worried  on  the  tail." 

"  When  your  head's  fite  (white),  ye  wad  hae  't  curlin."  This  refers 
to  the  custom  of  wearing  powder,  and  is  intended  as  a  reproof  of 
unreasonable  expectations. 

"  YeVe  neither  been  biggin'  kirks  nor  placin'  ministers."  You 
have  been  engaged  in  some  questionable  occupation. 


60  NOTES  AND  QUERIES. 

**  Spit  upon 't  and  ca  't  thegither  wi'  a  stane."  Said  when  too  much 
ado  is  made  about  a  trifling  scratch  or  cut. 

"  When  that  fa's  oot  we'll  see  twa  meens  (moons)  i'  the  lift  an' 
anithcr  i'  the  aiss  midden."  Said  to  express  forcibly  the  improbability 
of  better  conduct  in  the  future. 

**  Sell  your  pig  (jar  or  dith)  and  buy  a  can."  A  punning  reproof 
of  the  excuse  "  I  canna'." 

"  Ye  may  say  the  grace  o'  Cooperhill."  To  reprove  gluttony.  The 
grace  is,  *'  Deil  reive  the  ruggest  (hungriest),  and  cleave  the  clungest 
(emptiest)." 

"  I  doubt  ye've  been  at  the  kirk  o'  crack-about,  faar  (where)  the 
kail-pot's  the  minister."     In  reproof  of  non  church-going. 

"  Garr'd  girss  is  ill  to  grow,  and  chappit  stanes  is  ill  to  chow." 

"  Ye're  as  min  as  a  May  puddock."  Spoken  of  a  mincing,  ultra, 
modesty-aflfecting  manner  in  a  woman. 

"  Gerini-gath,  the  laird's  piper  ! "     Said  to  a  whimpering  child. 

"  Ye've  the  conscience  (greed)  of  a  coal-horse."  Spoken  in  reproof 
of  greed,  horses  owned  by  coal-carters  in  Aberdeen  being  generally 
half-starved. 

These  two  sayings  are  current  in  Aberdeenshire  as  being  difiScult 
to  enunciate  with  rapidity :  "A  peacock  pykit  a  peck  o'  paper  oot  o'  a 
paper  pyock.  Pyke  paper,  peacock."  "  I  snuff  shop  snuff.  Dae  ye 
snuff  shop  snuff?  "  Isabel  Russell. 

The  Legend  of  Knockmaun. — The  following  tradition,  preserved  in 
the  parish  of  Kilgobinet,  and  which  we  have  heard  from  a  very  old 
man,  named  Michael  Quarry,  still  living  at  Kilnafrehan,  would  seem 
to  point  to  the  former  existence  on  the  Comeragh  mountains  of  red  deer: 

"  In  the  days  of  Cromwell  there  lived  at  Knockmaun,  near  Mount 
Odell,  a  woman  called  The  Mawn,  who  was  the  terror  of  her  neigh- 
bours for  miles  around.  She  had  a  sister  named  The  Ille  Ruadh, 
who  resided  at  a  place  called  Tgeach  na  Condavise,  or  Bush  of  the 
Countess,  in  the  county  of  Kilkenny.  The  latter  had  eight  sons,  and 
was  the  owner  of  considerable  propery  at  Deelis,  Kilnafrehan,  Coolna- 
smear,  &c.  She  was  accustomed  to  visit  her  estates  annually,  residing 
during  her  sojourn  at  her  castle  in  Deelis,  the  ruins  of  which  are  still 
to  be  seen  there.     On  these  occasions  she  visited  every  part  of  her 


NOTES  AND  QUERIES.  6  I 

property,  remaining  a  day  in  every  townland,  where  she  was  enter- 
tained by  her  tenantry,  who  were  obliged  to  provide  a  red  deer  for  the 
feast.  On  her  arrival  at  Ballyknock,  she  and  her  eight  sons  were 
entertained  by  Thomas  Towhill,  who,  either  for  want  of  the  means  or 
inclination  to  procure  venison,  had  a  black  she&p  from  his  little  flock 
slaughtered,  and  its  flesh  prepared  for  the  occasion.  The  sons,  not 
aware  of  the  trick  honest  Towhill  had  played,  were  loud  in  praise  of 
the  '  venison ' ;  but  their  sturdy  mother,  who  had  seen  a  little  more  of 
the  world,  undeceived  them  in  the  following  terms : — 

*' '  Woe  to  him  who  gathereth  not  sense, 
And  who  doth  not  bridle  his  tongue: 
Since  we  cannot  to-day  on  venison  feast, 
The  blacTi  sheep's  flesh  is  not  to  be  despised.' 

"  The  Ille  Euadh,  who,  like  her  sister,  The  Maun  or  Mawn^  carried 
matters  with  a  high  hand  against  her  weaker  neighbours,  was  besieged 
in  her  castle,  at  Deelis,  by  Cromwell,  and  lost  her  life  there.  The 
Maun  shared  a  like  fate,  as  the  shattered  fragments  of  her  keep  at 
Knockmaun  testify." 

The  tomb  of  the  former  is  said  to  have  been  removed  to  Cappagh,  but 
this  we  doubt,  as  what  is  referred  to  as  a  portion  of  a  tomb  is  evidently 
part  of  an  altar. — Reprinted  from  Dungarvan  Journal,  March,  1883. 

Aughisky,  or  "Water  Horse. — The  Irish  aughisky  seems  to  be 
very  similar  to  the  Scotch  kelpie.  In  Munster  and  Connaught  in 
most  lakes  there  is  a  presiding  aughisky,  but  especially  on  those  where 
the  wind  gust  can  come  down  on  and  cast  up  fantastic  waves  that  have 
a  weird  appearance  in  the  gloaming.  The  stories  are  all  very  much 
alike.  In  Lough  Mask,  co.  Mayo,  there  was  an  aughisky  that  used 
to  frequent  the  Tieve  Mackevvy,  now  called  Toormakeady,  shore : 
it  used  to  go  on  shore  and  eat  up  the  pregnant  cattle  and  women,  but 
was  destroyed  about  twenty  years  ago  by  a  monk.  In  Connemara, 
about  three  miles  south  of  the  little  shebeen  called  the  Garibaldi,  on 
the  road  from  Oughtnard  to  Clifden,  there  is  a  lake  called  Letter- 
craffroe.  The  mountain  hereabouts  belonged  to  a  boy  of  the  Coneelly's, 
and  early  one  morning  he  spotted  a  magnificent  colt  feeding  in  the 
meadow  alongside  the  lake ;  he  stole  down  and  got  between  it  and 
the  lake,  threw  a  cloth  over  its  head,  put  a  halter  on  it,  and  brought 


62  NOTES  AND  QUERIES. 

it  home.  For  years  it  worked  for  him  until  he  thought  he  had 
quite  tamed  it,  when  one  unfortunate  day  he  let  it  see  the  lake ;  when 
it  flew  like  lightning  into  it,  tore  its  rider  to  pieces,  and  disappeared 
in  the  water,  never  to  be  seen  again.  A  very  amusing  incident 
happened  while  I  was  in  that  neighbourhood.  Tom  had  a  "lock"  of 
malt  on  one  of  the  islands  in  Inver  lake,  and  he  went  to  turn  it  in  the 
gloaming.  Just  as  he  had  done  so,  and  raised  himself  up,  he  saw  an 
aughisky  making  straight  for  him  ;  he  was  into  his  boat  in  an 
instant,  and  made  for  the  shore ;  when  he  reached  it  he  was  saluted 
with,  "  Mr.  Coneelly,  will  you  lend  me  the  boat  to  go  across  the 
lake,  as  that  blackguard  old  mare  of  mine  has  swam  across  and 
brought  her  foal  with  her."  In  Lough  Treagh,  Connemara,  there 
was  a  famous  aughisky  that  beat  people.  I  have  seen  more  than  one 
who  said  they  were  beaten  by  it,  and  who  stated,  "  I  had  not  a  drop 
in  me,  your  honour,  but  I  saw  a  mare  with  an  elegant  foal,  and  I 
stopped  to  look  at  it,  and  it  turned  on  me  and  nearly  killed  me."  I 
offered  a  man  half-a-sovereign  to  go  past  this  lake  one  evening  with 
a  message  and  he  refused,  although  he  was  sure  of  lots  of  eating  and 
drinking,  and  another  half-a-sovereign  if  he  went.  My  son,  a  lad  of 
about  twelve  years  old,  and  man  was  driving  home  that  way  one  night, 
and  they  saw  a  mare  and  foal.  The  man  immediately  wanted  to 
turn  back,  but  the  boy  would  not  let  him.  When  telling  me  he  said  he 
distinctly  saw  the  mare  and  foal  cross  the  road  and  go  up  the  sand- 
hill, but  when  they  came  to  the  place  he  could  see  no  track  or  any 
trace  of  the  mare  between  the  road  and  the  l.ake.  I  was  so  curious 
that  I  went  there  the  next  day,  but  could  see  no  tracks  in  the  place  he 
saw  the  mare  go  over.  On  this  lake  and  also  Garomna  I  have  seen  the 
aughisky  on  wild  gusty  nights  when  there  were  bursts  of  moonlight — 
on  the  latter  you  will  see  it  to  the  east  of  the  barrow  called  the 
"  Fairy  Mount,"  plunging  up  and  down  on  the  surface  of  the  water. 
It  seems  due  to  the  colliding  of  the  blast  round  the  barrow ;  but  the 
waves  at  such  times  have  such  a  weird  appearance  that  it  is  not  sur- 
prising that  they  are  taken  for  something  supernatural.  All  the 
stories  of  the  different  lakes  are  so  similar  that  when  you  have  heard 
one  you  have  heard  all ;  and  in  the  wild  mountainous  portions  of 
Munster  and  Connaught  no  one  found  dead  in  the  hills  died  naturally: 


NOTICES  AND  NEWS.  63 

if  his  body  is  found  near  a  lake  he  fell  a  victim  to  an  anghisky,  and  if 
on  the  wild  mountain  to  a  phooka.  G.  H.  Kinahan. 

Donegal  Reds Red-headed,  that  is  fiery  red  girls,  seem  to  be  a 

speciality  of  the  Co.  Donegal.  Of  these  they  say  "  they  were  born 
with  a  pig  under  the  bed."  This  is  on  account  of  their  peculiar  odour 
at  times.  G.  H.  Kinaban. 

Kissing  the  Bible. — What  is  the  origin  of  kissing  the  Bible  in 
oath-taking  ?  I  have  noted  Dr.  Tylor's  explanation  in  his  Anthro- 
pology y  but  this  does  not  seem  quite  complete.  L.  C. 


NOTICES  AND  NEWS. 

Raccolta  di  Proverhi  e  Dittati  ippici  di  N.  Mantica.  Pp.  110.  Udine, 
Tipografia  del  Patronato,  1883. 
Count  Mantica  has  done  excellent  service  in  the  cause  of  folk-lore 
and  folk-wisdom  in  this  work.  The  work  is  a  collection  of  all  the 
proverbs  regarding  the  horse  in  Italian,  and  is  divided  into  ten 
sections.  Each  section  is  devoted  to  a  particular  subject  about  the 
horse,  such  as  "  Colours  and  particular  marks,"  "  Food,"  "  Manage- 
ment," "  Horse  and  rider,"  "  The  ladies  and  horses,"  "  Meta- 
phorical proverbs."  Under  each  subject  the  proverbs  are  arranged 
in  alphabetical  order  and  are  numbered  from  1  consecutively.  They 
amount  to  the  goodly  number  of  563,  without  taking  into  account 
those  in  the  Venetian  and  Frioulan  dialects,  which  bring  the  number 
up  to  741 .  The  Count  intends  to  carry  out  the  same  plan  with  the 
proverbs  of  other  nations. 

Tradiqoes  populares  de  Portugal.     Colligidas  e  annotadas  por  J.  Leitc 

de  Vasconcellos.     Pp.  xvi.  320.     Porto  :  Livraria  Portuense  de 

Clavel  &  C%  Editores,  119,  Rua  do  Almada,  1882. 

This  is  the  first  volume  of  Bibliotheca  Ethnographica  Portugueza. 

The  work  contains  eleven  chapters:  "  Os  astros,"  "  Fogo,  luz  e  sombra," 

"  A  atmosphera,"  "  A  agua,"  "  A  terra,"  "  As  pedras,"  *<  Os  metaes," 

*'  Os  vegetaes,"   "  Os  animaes,"  with  an  appendix,  "  O  homem  e  a 

mulher,"  with  an  appendix,  and    ''  Seres  sobrenaturaes."     In  each 


64  NOTICES  AND  NEWS. 

chapter  are  given  all  the  ideas,  superstitions,  rhymes,  riddles,  &c.  on 
the  subject  of  the  chapter.  They  are  numbered,  and  are  thus  easily 
referred  to.  The  book  contains  a  pleasantly  written  Introduction 
showing  the  uses  of  folk-lore.  It  is  a  perfect  mine  of  Portuguese 
folk-lore,  and  deserves  a  hearty  welcome. 

Mr.  A.  Granger  Hutt  has  joined  Mr.  Gomme  in  the  duties  of 
Honorary  Secretary  to  the  Society.  Mr.  Hutt  will  undertake  all 
the  financial  business  of  the  Society,  and  Members  will  kindly  for- 
ward their  Subscriptions  to  him  in  future. 

The  Rev.  Walter  Gregor  is  collecting  for  Count  Mantica  the 
Scottish  and  English  proverbs  on  the  horse.  Mr.  Gregor  is  desirous 
of  entering  into  communication  with  Members  of  the  Society  or  others 
who  would  furnish  any  such  proverbs,  or  otherwise  assist  in  the 
work.  The  Proverbs  Committee  will  shortly  hold  a  meeting  to  see 
if  something  cannot  be  done  in  this  important  branch  of  folk-lore. 

The  following  are  the  titles  of  folk-lore  notes  in  Panjab  Notes  and 
Queries,  December:  Bhairon  (Worship  of),  Touching  the  Ground, 
Kali  (Goddess)  in  Garhwal,  Clearing  Village  Ponds,  Opprobrious 
Names,  Months  in  which  Hindu  Marriage  is  Forbidden,  Nim  Leaves 
at  Funerals,  Marriage  Ceremony,  Evil  Eye,  Goitre,  Cattle  Disease, 
Hairy  Spine — Girls,  Signs  of  Boys  or  Girls  before  Birth,  Luck 
Omens,  Ferns,  Crow's  Brains,  Proverbs,  Folk-lore  from  difficult 
sources. 

The  Rev.  J.  Long  has  reprinted  a  paper  read  by  him  at  the 
Oriental  Congress,  Leyden,  September  14,  1883,  on  "  The  importance 
and  best  mode  of  making  a  collection  of  Oriental  Proverbs." 

Mr.  Clouston  is  engaged  upon  another  valuable  piece  of  editorial 
work — The  Book  of  the  Seven  Viziers^  so  well  known  to  readers  of 
Professor  Comparetti's  Sindihad.  Dr.  Rost  has  lent  Mr.  Clouston 
the  unique  Persian  MS.  poem,  the  Sindibad  Nama,  belonging  to  the 
Library  of  tlie  India  Office,  from  which  it  appears  that,  owing  perhaps 
to  lacunce  and  misplaced  leaves.  Falconer  in  his  translation  lias  over- 
looked one  story  and  the  remains  of  two  others.  His  analysis  will  be 
carefully  compared  with  the  MS.  before  reprinting,  and  the  omitted 
stories  translated. 


lEISH    BIRD-LORE. 


FRAGMENT  of  mediaeval  Irish  bird-lore  has  been  pre- 
served for  us  in  a  vellum  MS.  of  the  fifteenth  century, 
now  in  the  library  of  Trin.  Coll.  Dublin,  marked  H.  3, 
17,  col.   803.      Unfortunately   the   transcriber   has   not 

thought  it  worth  while  to  copy  the  whole,  and  has  left  off  with  a 

tantalising  et  ccetera. 

Omens  from  the  Kaven. 

If  the  raven  croaks  above  the  bed  framed  together  (com-dluthta) 
in  the  middle  of  the  house,  an  eminent  hoary  visitor  or  cleric  is 
coming  to  thee.  But  there  is  a  difference  between  them.  If  it 
be  a  lay  clerk  the  raven  says  "  bacach."  If  it  be  a  man  in  orders 
{fer  graidh)  it  cries  ^^  gradh,  gradh"  and  **/o  do  do  16."  If  the 
visitor  be  a  youth  or  a  satirist  it  cries  '^  grace,  gracc,''^  or  ^*  grob, 
grab,"  and  the  side  behind  where  it  cries  is  the  quarter  whence 
the  visitors  are  coming.  If  it  cries  "  grace,  grace,''  the  young  people 
to  whom  it  cries  are  assisted  (?)  (fordhighthir).  If  a  woman  is 
coming  it  cries  ^'■foda'"'  If  it  cries  from  the  north-west  quarter 
of  the  house,  thieves  are  coming  to  steal  the  horses.  If  it 
cries  at  the  door  of  the  house,  strangers  or  hireling-soldiers  are 
coming.  If  it  cries  above  the  door,  satirists  or  visitors  belonging  to 
the  king's  retinue  are  coming.  If  it  cries  above  the  bed  of  the  good 
man,  the  place  where  his  weapons  are,  and  he  is  going  on  an  expe- 
dition, he  will  not  return  safe ;  and,  if  this  is  not  the  case,  he  will 
become  unwell.  If  the  wife  is  to  die,  it  cries  above  the  pillow.  If  it 
cries  at  the  feet  of  the  husband's  bed,  a  son,  or  brother,  or  son-in-law, 
will  come  to  the  house.  If  it  cries  on  the  threshold  of  the  kitchen- 
closet,  the  place  where  the  food  is,  there  will  be  increase  of  victuals, 
such  as  flesh  or  the  first  milking  of  the  cows,  in  the  quarter  from 

Vol.  2.— Part  3.  p 


66  IRISH  BIKD-LOKE. 

which  it  cries.  If  its  face  be  between  the  kitchen-closet  and  the  fire, 
a  mutually  agreeable  guest  is  coming  to  the  house.  If  the  place 
where  it  is  perched  be  nearer  the  wife  of  the  house,  the  visitors  are  a 
son-in-law  or  a  friend.  If  it  cries  to  the  south  of  the  kitchen-closet,  a 
foster-father  or  visitors  from  a  distance  are  coming  to  the  house.  If 
it  speaks  with  a  small  voice  "  err,  err^^  or  "  dr,  dr"  sickness  for  some 
one  in  the  house  or  for  some  of  the  cattle.  If  dogs  are  coming  among 
the  sheep  it  cries  from  the  sheepfold,  or  opposite  the  goodwife,  and 
says,  "  carna,  carna,  grob,  groh,  coin,  coin.^^  If  it  cries  from  the  rail 
of  the  house  when  they  are  eating,  they  waste  that  meal.  If  it  cries 
from  off  a  stone,  that  is  news  of  a  boor.  If  it  cries  from  a  tall  tree,  that 
is  news  of  a  young  lord.  If  from  off  the  branch  of  a  tree,  news  of  a 
king  or  son  of  noble  lineage.  If  it  goes  with  thee  on  an  expedition  or 
in  front  of  thee,  and  if  it  is  cheerful,  the  journey  will  be  propitious  and 
a  great  deal  of  flesh-meat  will  be  given  thee.  If  thou  go  left-hand- 
wise  {i.e.  against  the  course  of  the  sun),  and  it  cries  in  front  of  thee, 
woe  on  whom  it  so  cries  or  great  shame  to  some  of  the  party.  If  in 
front  of  thee  going  to  a  public  meeting,  it  means  associates.  If  thou 
hast  come  left-hand-wise,  some  of  the  associates  will  be  killed.  If  it 
cries  from  the  horses'  corner,  thieves  will  come.  If  it  turn  itself  once, 
and  if  it  says  "  grob,  grob,'^  some  horses  are  stolen  and  will  not  be 
found,  &c. 

Omens  from  Wrens. 

If  the  little  bold  face  cries  to  thee  from  the  east,  a  pilgrimage  of 
religious  people  are  coming  to  thee,  inflicting  their  roughness  upon 
thee.  If  the  wren  cries  from  the  south-east,  vain-glorious  fools  are  to 
arrive.  If  from  the  west,  they  are  strangers  to  you.  If  it  cries  from 
the  noi-th-east,  people  with  whom  are  knowing  companions  or  women  are 
coming.  If  from  the  north,  he  that  is  coming  is  dear  to  thee.  If  from 
the  north-west,  religious  people  are  coming.  If  it  cries  from  the  south, 
if  not  between  thee  and  the  sun,  a  delightful  pilgrimage  is  coming  to 
you.  If  between  thee  and  the  sun,  the  wounding  of  a  man  dear  to 
thee  or  a  horn  upon  thyself.  If  at  thy  left  ear,  an  encounter  with 
youths  from  a  distance,  or  sleeping  with  a  young  woman.  If  it  calls 
behind  thee,  thy  wife  iiitreating  another  man  in  preference  to  thee. 


IRISH  BIRD-LORE.  67 

If  down  on  the  ground  behind  thee,  thy  wife  is  taken  from  thee  by 
force.  If  the  wren  calls  from  the  east,  poets  are  coming  to  thee  or 
news  from  them.  If  it  calls  from  the  south  behind  thee,  thou  wilt  see 
good  chiefs  of  the  clergy,  or  thou  wilt  hear  the  report  of  a  noble  ex- 
hero.  If  it  cries  from  the  south-west,  thieves  and  bad  clerics  and  bad 
women  are  coming  to  thee.  If  from  the  west,  evil  fighting-men  are 
coming.  If  it  calls  from  the  north-west,  a  fine,  well-born  hero  and  noble 
hospitallers  and  good  women  are  coming.  If  it  calls  from  the  north, 
evil  men  are  coming,  whether  youths  or  clerics,  whether  bad  women  and 
malicious  youths,  who  are  to  arrive.  If  it  calls  from  the  south,  disease 
or  wolves  among  the  cattle.  If  it  calls  from  off  the  ground,  or  a  stone, 
a  cross,  it  means  news  of  a  great  man  for  thee.  If  it  calls  at  the 
feet  of  the  bed,  that  is  against  people,  and  the  number  of  times  it 
alights  on  the  ground  indicates  the  number  of  dead,  and  the  side 
towards  which  its  face  is,  from  that  it  reveals  the  dead  (is  as  dlomus 
na  mairh). 

This  last  passage  is  obscure.  I  think  it  means,  if  the  wren's  head 
is  turned  to  a  lucky  quarter  the  dead  will  be  in  a  happy  state,  and 
vice  versa.  Some  of  the  meanings  given  to  the  croak  of  the  raven  are 
mere  puns.  Gradh  gradh  is  a  pun  on  the  Irish  grddh,  derived  from 
the  Latin  gradus.  Bacach  means  "lame,  crippled,"  bacCi  "a  shep- 
herd's crook,"  bachallj  "a  pastoral  staff,"  carna,  "flesh,"  com,  "dogs." 
The  words  for  east  and  west  also  mean  front  and  rear.  To  fall  west- 
wards means  to  fall  backwards,  so  that  north-east,  south-east,  maybe 
taken  to  mean  left  front,  right  front,  respectively ;  north-west,  south- 
west, left  rear,  right  rear.  In  Mr.  Campbell's  Popular  Tales  of  the 
Western  Highlands ^  vol.  i.  p.  275,  will  be  found  further  illustrations  of 
crow  language. 

John  Abercromby. 

6  Feb.  1884. 


THREE  FOLK-TALES   FROM  OLD  MEL- 
DRUM,  ABERDEENSHIRE. 


HE  following  folk-tales  have  been  communicated  to  me  by 
Mr.  Moir,  Rector  of  the  Grammar  School,  Aberdeen.  He 
had  them  from  his  mother,  who  kindly  wrote  out  "  Mally 
Whuppie  "  and  "  The  Red  Calf"  at  my  request. 


Mally  Whuppie. 

Ance  upon  a  time  there  was  a  man  and  a  wife  had  too  many 
children,  and  they  could  not  get  meat  for  them,  so  they  took  the  three 
youngest  and  left  them  in  a  wood.  They  travelled  and  travelled  and 
could  see  never  a  house.  It  began  to  be  dark,  and  they  were  hungry. 
At  last  they  saw  a  light  and  made  for  it;  it  turned  out  to  be  a  house. 
They  knocked  at  the  door,  and  a  woman  came  to  it,  who  asked  what 
they  wanted.  They  said  if  she  would  let  them  in  and  gee  them  a 
piece.  The  woman  said  she  could  not  do  that,  as  her  man  was  a 
giant,  and  he  would  fell  them  if  he  came  home.  They  priggit  that 
she  would  let  them  stop  for  a  little  whilie,  and  they  would  go  away 
before  he  came.  So  she  took  them  in,  and  set  them  doon  afore  the 
fire,  and  gave  them  milk  and  bread;  but  just  as  they  had  begun  to 
eat  a  great  knock  came  to  the  door,  and  a  dreadful  voice  said:  — 

"  Fee,  fie,  fo,  fuin, 
I  smell  the  blood  of  some  earthly  one. 

Who  have  you  there,  wife  ?  "  "  Eh,"  said  the  wife,  "  it's  three 
peer  lassies  caul'  an  hungry,  an  they  will  go  away.  Ye  winna  touch 
them,  man."  He  said  nothing,  but  eat  up  a  great  big  supper,  and 
ordered  them  to  stay  all  night.  Now  he  had  three  lassies  of  his  own, 
and  they  were  to  sleep  in  the  same  bed  with  the  three  strangers.  The 
youngest  of  the  three  strange  lassies  was  called  Mally  Whuppie,  and  she 


THREE  FOLK-TALES.  69 

was  very  clever.  She  noticed  that  before  they  went  to  bed  the  giant  put 
straw  rapes  round  her  neck  and  her  sisters',  and  round  his  ain  lassies' 
necks  he  put  gold  chains.  So  Mally  took  care  and  did  not  fall  asleep, 
but  waited  till  she  was  sure  every  one  was  sleeping  sound.  Then  she 
slippit  out  of  the  bed,  and  took  the  straw  rapes  off  her  own  and  her 
sisters'  necks,  and  took  the  gold  chains  off  the  giant's  lassies.  She 
then  put  the  straw  rapes  on  the  giant's  lassies  and  the  gold  on  herself 
and  her  sisters,  and  lay  down.  And  in  the  middle  of  the  night  up 
rose  the  giant,  armed  with  a  great  club,  and  felt  for  the  necks  with 
the  straw.  It  was  dark.  He  took  his  own  lassies  out  on  the  floor, 
and  laid  upon  them  until  they  were  dead,  and  then  lay  down  again, 
thinking  he  had  managed  fine.*  Mally  thought  it  time  she  and  her 
sisters  were  out  of  that,  so  she  wakened  them  and  told  them  to  be 
quiet,  and  they  slippit  out  of  the  house.  They  all  got  out  safe,  and 
they  ran  and  ran,  and  never  stoppit  until  morning,  when  they  saw  a 
grand  house  before  them.  It  turned  out  to  be  the  king's  house;  so 
Mally  went  in,  and  told  her  story  to  the  king.  He  said,  "Well, 
Mally,  you  are  a  clever  cutty,  and  you  have  managed  well ;  but,  if  you 
would  manage  better,  and  go  back,  and  steal  the  giant's  sword  that 
hangs  on  the  back  of  his  bed,  I  would  give  your  eldest  sister  my 
eldest  son  to  marry."  Mally  said  she  would  try.  So  she  went  back, 
and  managed  to  slip  into  the  giant's  house,  and  crept  in  below  the 
bed.  The  giant  came  home,  and  ate  up  a  great  supper,  and  went  to 
bed.  Mally  waited  until  he  was  snoring,  and  she  crept  out,  and  raxed 
in  ower  the  giant  and  got  doon  the  sword  ;  but  just  as  she  got  it  oot 
ower  the  bed  it  gave  a  rattle,  and  up  jumped  the  giant,  and  Mally  oot 
at  the  door  and  the  sword  with  her ;  and  she  ran,  and  he  ran,  till  they 
cam  to  the  *'  Brig  o'  ae  hair" ;  and  she  wan  ower,  but  he  cuddna,  and 
he  says,  "  Wae  worth  ye,  Mally  Whuppie  !  lat  ye  never  come  again." 
And  she  says,  "  Twice  yet,  carle,"  quo  she,  "I'll  come  to  Spain."  So 
Mally  took  the  sword  to  the  king,  and  her  sister  was  married  to  his 
son. 

*'  Well,"  the  king  he  says: — "  Ye've  managed  well,  Mally ;  but  if 

*  J.  Leite  de  Vascoiicellos,  in  Tradieoes  popnlares  de  Portvgal  (pp.  264, 265), 
gives  a  version  of  this  part  of  the  story,  but  it  is  a  lobis-homem,  or  werewolf,  that 
figures  in  the  place  of  the  giant. 


70  THREE  FOLK-TALES. 

ye  would  manage  better,  and  steal  the  purse  tliat  lies  below  the  giant's 
pillow,  I  would  marry  your  second  sister  to  my  second  son."  And 
Mally  said  she  would  try.  So  she  set  out  for  the  giant's  house,  and 
slippit  in,  and  hid  again  below  the  bed,  and  waited  till  the  giant  had 
eaten  his  supper,  and  was  snoring  sound  asleep.  She  slippit  out,  and 
slippit  her  hand  below  the  pillow,  and  got  out  the  purse;  but  just  as 
she  was  going  out  the  giant  wakened,  and  after  her;  and  she  ran,  and 
he  ran,  till  they  came  to  the  "  Brig  o'  ae  hair,"  and  she  wan  ower,  but 
he  cuddna,  and  he  said,  *'  Wae  worth  you,  Mally  Whuppie  !  lat  you 
never  come  again."  "  Ance  yet,  carle,"  quo  she, "  I'll  come  to  Spain." 
So  Mally  took  the  purse  to  the  king,  and  her  second  sister  was  married 
to  the  king's  second  son. 

After  that  the  king  says  to  Mally,  "  Mally,  you  are  a  clever  cutty, 
but  if  you  would  dee  better  yet,  and  steal  the  giant's  ring  that  he 
wears  on  his  finger,  I  will  give  you  my  youngest  son  to  yoursel." 
Mally  said  she  would  try.  So  back  she  goes  to  the  giant's  house,  and 
hides  herself  below  the  bed.  The  giant  wizna  lang  ere  he  came  hanie, 
and,  after  he  had  eaten  a  great  big  supper,  he  went  to  his  bed,  and 
shortly  was  snoring  loud.  Mally  crept  out,  and  raxed  in  ower  the  bed, 
and  got  hold  of  the  giant's  hand,  and  she  pirlt  and  pirlt  until  she  got 
off  the  ring ;  but  just  as  she  got  it  off  the  giant  got  up,  and  grippit 
her  by  the  hand,  and  he  says,  "  Now  I  hae  catcht  you,  Mally  Whup- 
pie, and,  if  I  had  deen  as  muckle  ill  to  you  as  ye  hae  deen  to  me, 
what  wad  ye  dee  to  me  ?  " 

Mally  considered  what  plan  she  would  fall  upon  to  escape,  and  she 
says,  "  I  wad  pit  you  into  a  pyock,  and  I  wad  pit  the  cat  inside  wi'  you 
and  the  dog  aside  you,  and  a  needle  and  thread  and  a  shears,  and  I 
wad  hang  you  up  upon  the  wa',  and  I  wad  gang  to  the  wood,  and  wile 
the  thickest  stick  I  could  get,  and  I  would  come  hame,  and  take  you 
down,  and  lay  upon  you  till  you  were  dead." 

"  Well,  Mally,"  says  the  giant,  "  I'll  just  do  that  to  you." 
So  he  gets  a  pyock,  and  puts  Mally  into  it,  and  the  cat  and  the  dog 
beside  her,  and  a  needle  and  thread  and  shears,  and  hings  her  up  upon 
the  wa',  and  goes  to  the  wood  to  choose  a  stick. 
Mally  she  sings,  "  Oh,  gin  ye  saw  faht  I  see." 
**  Oh,"  says  the  giant's  wife,  "  faht  divv  ye  see,  Mally  ?" 


THREE  FOLK-TALES.  71 

But  Mally  never  said  a  word  but,  "  Oh,  gin  ye  saw  falit  I  see !  " 
The  giant's  wife  pleaded  that  Mally  would  take  her  up  into  the  pyock 
till  she  would  see  what  Mally  saw.  So  Mally  took  the  shears  and  cut 
a  hole  in  the  pyock,  and  took  out  the  needle  and  thread  with  her,  and 
jumpt  down,  and  helpit  the  giant's  wife  up  into  the  pyock,  and 
sewed  up  the  hole. 

The  giant's  wife  saw  nothing,  and  began  to  ask  to  get  down  again; 
but  Mally  never  minded,  but  hid  herself  at  the  back  of  the  door.  Home 
came  the  giant,  and  a  great  big  tree  in  his  hand,  and  he  took  down  the 
pyock,  and  began  to  lay  upon  it.  His  wife  cried,  "  It's  me,  man;"  but 
the  dog  barkit  and  the  cat  mewt,  and  he  did  not  know  his  wife's 
voice.  But  Mally  did  not  want  her  to  be  killed,  so  she  came  out  from 
the  back  of  the  door,  and  the  giant  saw  her,  and  he  after  her;  and  he 
ran,  and  she  ran,  till  they  came  to  the  "■  Brig  o'  ae  hair,"  and  she  wan 
ower,  but  he  cuddna ;  and  he  said,  *'  Wae  worth  you,  Mally  Whuppie! 
lat  you  never  come  again,"  "  Never  mair,  carle,"  quo  she,  "  will  I  come 
again  to  Spain." 

So  Mally  took  the  ring  to  the  king,  and  she  was  married  to  his 
youngest  son,  and  she  never  saw  the  giant  again. 

The  Bannookie. 

There  was  a  little  wee  mannie  an  a  far  less  wifie,  and  they  bakit  a 
bannockie  and  set  it  oot  t'  queel.  An  it  geed  rockie  for  rowie  an  ower 
the  mill-knowie,  till  it  cam  t'  twa  wall-washers  hungry  eneugh,  an 
they  said,  "  Ye're  welcum,  bonnie  bannockie,  and  fae  fahr  come  ye  ?  " 
"  Oh,"  says  the  bannockie,  "  I  cam  fae  a  little  mannie  an  a  far  less 
wifie,  an  I  think  I'll  win  fae  you  yet."  An  they  flang  their  queeds 
(tubs)  at  the  bannockie,  but  missed  it.  An  it  geed  rockie  for  rowie 
an  ower  the  mill-knowie  till  it  cam  t*  twa  barn-thrashers,  hungry 
eneugh.  "  Ye're  welcum,  bonnie  bannockie,  an  fae  fahr  come  ye  ?  " 
"  Oh,"  says  the  bannockie,  "  I  come  fae  a  little  wee  mannie  an  a  far 
less  wifie,  an  fae  twa  wall-washers,  an  I  think  I'll  win  fae  you  yet." 
So  they  flang  their  flails  at  it,  but  misst  it ;  an  it  geed  rockie  for 
rowie  ower  the  mill-knowie  till  it  cam  to  the  tod's  hole,  hungry 
eneugh.      An  it  said,   "  Ye're  welcum,  bonnie  bannockie,  and  fae 


72  THREE  FOLK-TALES. 

fahr  come  ye  ?  "  "  Oh,"  says  the  bannockie,  "  I  cam  fae  a  little  wee 
mannie  an  a  far  less  wifie,  an  fae  twa  wall-washers,  an  fae  twa  barn- 
ihrashers,  an  I  think  I'll  win  fae  you  yet."  "  Come  nearer  me  a  bittie, 
bonnie  bannockie,"  said  the  tod ;  "  I  dinna  hear  verra  weel,  an  tell  me 
that  again."  "  Oh,"  says  the  bannockie,  comin  nearer  an  speakin 
looder,  "  I  cam  fae  a  little  wee  mannie  an  a  far  less  wifie,  an  fae  twa 

wall-washers  an  fae  twa  barn-thrashers,  an  I  think "     "  Grap," 

says  the  tod,  an  ate  her  up. 

At  the  word  "  grap  "  the  story-teller  suddenly  seizes  the  child  to 
whom  the  story  is  told.* 

The  Red  Calf. 

Ance  a  long  time  ago  there  was  a  gentleman  had  two  lassies.  The 
oldest  was  ugly  and  ill-natured,  but  the  youngest  was  a  bonnie  lassie 
and  good  ;  but  the  ugly  one  was  the  favourite  with  her  father  and 
mother.  So  they  ill  used  the  youngest  in  every  way,  and  they  sent 
her  into  the  woods  to  herd  cattle,  and  all  the  food  she  got  was  a  little 
porridge  and  whey. 

Well,  amongst  the  cattle  was  a  red  calf,  and  one  day  it  said  to  the 
lassie,  "  Gee  that  porridge  and  whey  to  the  doggie,  and  come  wi' 
me. 

So  the  lassie  followed  the  calf  through  the  wood,  and  they  came  to 
a  bonnie  hoosie,  where  there  was  a  nice  dinner  ready  for  them,  and 
after  they  had  feasted  on  everything  nice  they  went  back  to  the 
herding. 

Every  day  the  calf  took  the  lassie  away,  and  feasted  her  on  dainties, 
and  every  day  she  grew  bonnier.  This  disappointed  the  father  and 
mother  and  the  ugly  sister.  They  expected  that  the  rough  usage  she 
was  getting  would  take  away  her  beauty;  and  they  watched  and 
watched  until  they  saw  the  calf  take  the  lassie  away  to  the  feast.  So 
they  resolved  to  kill  the  calf  ;  and  not  only  that,  but  the  lassie  was 
to  be  compelled  to  kill  him  with  an  axe.  Her  ugly  sister  was  to  hold 
his  head,  and  the  lassie  who  loved  him  had  to  give  the  blow  and  kill 
him.     She  could  do  nothing  but  greet  ;  but  the  calf  told  her  not  to 

*  See  also  Popular  Rhymes  of  Scotland,  pp.  82-87. 


THREE  FOLK-TALES.  73 


greet,  but  to  do  as  ho  bade  her  ;  and  bis  plan  was  that  instead  of 
coming  down  on  his  head  she  was  to  come  down  on  the  lassie's  head 
who  was  holding  him,  and  then  she  was  to  jump  on  his  back  and 
they  would  run  off.  Well,  the  day  came  for  the  calf  to  be  killed,  and 
everything  was  ready — the  ugly  lassie  holding  his  head,  and  the 
bonnie  lassie  armed  with  the  axe.  So  she  raised  the  axe^  and  came 
down  on  the  ugly  sister's  head,  and  in  the  confusion  that  took  place 
she  got  on  the  calf's  back  and  they  ran  away,  and  they  ran  and  better 
nor  ran  till  they  came  to  a  meadow  where  grew  a  great  lot  of  rashes ; 
and,  as  the  lassie  had  not  on  many  clothes,  they  pu'ed  rashes,  and 
made  a  coatie  for  her,  and  they  set  ofif  again  and  travelled,  and 
travelled,  till  they  came  to  the  king's  house.  They  went  in,  and  asked 
if  they  wanted  a  servant.  The  mistress  said  she  wanted  a  kitchen 
lassie,  and  she  would  take  Rashin-coatie.  So  Rashin-coatie  said  she 
would  stop,  if  they  keepit  the  calf  too.  They  were  willing  to  do  that. 
So  the  lassie  and  the  calf  stoppit  in  the  king's  house,  and  eveiy  body 
was  well  pleased  with  her  ;  and  when  Yule  came,  they  said  she  was  to 
stop  at  home  and  make  the  dinner,  while  all  the  rest  went  to  the  kirk. 
After  they  were  away  the  calf  asked  if  she  would  like  to  go.  She 
said  she  would,  but  she  had  no  clothes,  and  she  could  not  leave  the 
dinner.  The  calf  said  he  would  give  her  clothes,  and  make  the  dinner 
too.  He  went  out,  and  came  back  with  a  grand  dress  all  silk  and 
satin,  and  such  a  nice  pair  of  slippers.  The  lassie  put  on  the  dress, 
and  before  she  left  she  said  :— 

"  Ilka  peat  gar  anither  burn, 
An  ilka  spit  gar  anither  turn. 
An  ilka  pot  gar  anither  play, 
Till  I  come  frae  the  kirk  on  gude  Yule  day." 

So  she  went  to  the  kirk,  and  nobody  kent  it  was  Rashin-coatie. 
They  wondered  who  the  bonnie  lady  could  be  ;  and,  as  soon  as  the 
young  prince  saw  her,  he  fell  in  love  with  her,  and  resolved  he  would 
find  out  who  she  was,  before  she  got  home  ;  but  Rashin-coatie  left 
before  the  rest,  so  that  she  might  get  home  in  time  to  take  off  her 
dress,  and  look  after  the  dinner. 

When  the  prince  saw  her  leaving,  he  made  for  the  door  to  stop  her ; 
but  she  jumped  past  him,  and  in  the  hurry  lost  one  of  her  shoes.     The 


74  THREE  FOLK-TALES. 

prince  kept  the  shoe,  and  Rashin-coatie  got  home  all  right,  and  the 
folk  said  the  dinner  was  very  nice. 

Now  the  prince  was  resolved  to  find  out  who  the  bonnie  lady  was, 
and  he  sent  a  servant  through  all  the  land  with  the  shoe.  Every  lady 
was  to  try  it  on,  and  the  prince  promised  to  marry  the  one  it  would 
fit.  Tliat  servant  went  to  a  great  many  houses,  but  could  not  find  a 
lady  that  the  shoe  would  go  on,  it  was  so  little  and  neat.  At  last  he 
came  to  a  henwife's  house,  and  her  daughter  had  little  feet.  At 
first  the  shoe  would  not  go  on,  but  she  paret  her  feet,  and  clippit  her 
toes,  until  the  shoe  went  on.  Now  the  prince  was  very  angry.  He 
knew  it  was  not  the  lady  that  he  wanted ;  but,  because  he  had  pro- 
mised to  marry  whoever  the  shoe  fitted,  he  had  to  keep  his  promise. 

The  marriage  day  came,  and,  as  they  were  all  riding  to  the  kirk,  a 
little  bird  flew  through  the  air,  and  it  sang: — 

"  Clippit  feet  an  paret  taes  is  on  the  saidle  set; 
Bat  bonnie  feet  an  braw  feet  sits  in  the  kitchen  neuk." 

"  What's  that  ye  say  ?  "  said  the  prince.  "  Oh,"  says  the  henwife, 
"  would  ye  mind  what  a  feel  bird  says  ?  "  But  the  prince  said,  "  Sing 
that  again,  bonnie  birdie."     So  the  bird  sings  : — 

"  Clippit  feet  an  paret  taes  is  on  the  saidle  set  ; 
Bat  bonnie  feet  an  braw  feet  sits  in  the  kitchen  nenk." 

The  prince  turned  his  horse  and  rode  home,  and  went  straight  to 
his  father's  kitchen,  and  there  sat  Rashin-coatie.  He  kent  her  at 
once,  she  was  so  bonnie  ;  and  when  she  tried  on  the  shoe  it  fitted  her, 
and  so  the  prince  married  Rashin-coatie,  and  they  lived  happy  and 
built  a  house  for  the  red  calf,  who  had  been  so  kind  to  her.* 


*  Popular  Rhymes  of  Scotland^  pp.  66-70.  A.  Machado  y  Alvarez,  in  Biblio- 
thcca  de  lag  traditionea  popvlares  cspanoles  (pp.  114-120),  gives  a  story  con- 
taniing  several  of  the  incidents  of  this  version  of  Rashin-coatie.  It  comes  from 
Santa  Jaana,  in  Chile. 


MALAGASY  FOLK-TALES. 

By  THE  Kev.  James  Sibree,  Junior. 


The  Old  Man  and  his  Three  Sons. 

(^The  following  is  from  AnJcaratra.) 

CERTAIN  elderly  man,  it  is  said,  had  three  sons,  and,  as 
he  was  getting  old  and  feeble,  he  began  to  give  directions 
about  the  disposal  of  his  property.  So  he  said  to  his 
sons,  "  This,  my  lads,  is  what  I  declare  to  you,  for  old 
age  and  weakness  overtakes  me ;  so  I  will  divide  and  arrange  my 
possessions,  lest  you  should  disagree  about  it  afterwards;  so  gather 
together  all  our  family  connections."  So  the  three  brothers  called 
them  together,  and  all  were  assembled,  from  the  chiefs  to  the  inferior 
people.  Then  the  old  man  gave  these  directions,  the  following  being 
his  commands : 

"  To  Andriamatba  (the  eldest  son)  is  given  much,  because  of  his 
seniority ; 

To  Andrianaivo  (the  middle  son)  is  given  what  is  suitable  to  him; 

To  Rafaralahy  (the  youngest  son)  is  given  little,  because  of  his 
being  the  youngest." 

And  so  he  disposed  of  his  property,  whether  in  the  country  or  in 
the  village.  Upon  which,  Rafaralahy  was  greatly  troubled,  because 
his  father  had  given  him  so  little. 

And  so  things  went  on  for  a  long  time  with  the  three  brothers, 
while  the  property  still  remained  as  before  with  their  father.  And 
after  long  continuing  thus,  Rafuraluhy  began  to  consider  how  he  could 
increase  the  small  share  he  was  promised  by  his  father.  And  this 
was  his  plan,  to  ask  of  God  that  he  might  have  great  possessions. 
So  he  set  ofF,  they  say,  to  find  out  the  dwelling-place  of  the  God.  And 
after  he  had  gone  a  little  distance  he  met  with  some  water-carriers. 


73  MALAGASY  FOLK-TALES. 

So  they  asked  him,  "  Where  are  you  going  ?  "  Rafaralahy  replied, 
"  I  am  in  trouble,  so  I  am  beseeching  the  Creator  to  give  me  wealth." 
80  they  said,  "  Yes,  that  is  right,  for  God  is  the  helper  of  all,  who  are 
in  adversity;  but  this  is  our  advice  to  you:  If  you  meet  with  a 
deceiver,  do  not  speak  ;  and  should  you  chance  upon  an  evil  person, 
do  not  reply  (or  revenge).  And  if  you  come  across  a  harmful  man 
(lit.  *  killer '),  steadfastly  resist.  And  not  only  so,  for  there  with  God 
is  a  road  both  famous  and  wide  and  good,  but  the  stranger  and  the 
passer-by  wander  about  and  are  confounded,  and  there  are  many  fierce 
dogs  and  ravenous  beasts,  which  know  the  natives  of  the  place  and 
understand  the  strangers.  But  this  is  what  you  must  do  when  the 
dogs  bark,  do  not  turn  round,  but  go  straight  on ;  and  when  the  wild 
beasts  roar,  do  not  turn  back,  but  keep  in  the  road.  And  also  there 
is  an  old  hag  lying  across  the  doorway  and  stopping  it  up,  and  those 
who  enter  she  prevents,  she  at  the  same  time  neither  going  in  or 
coming  out ;  so  when  you  see  her,  do  not  salute  her,  but  go  straight 
on  your  way ;  but  still,  do  not  step  over  her,  for  her  knee  will  shrink 
up  easily,  although  you  say  nothing.  Upon  that  enter  immediately, 
and  say,  '  Allow  me,  I  pray  you,  my  lady.' "  So  Rai^ralihy  agreed 
to  all  that  as  being  good  advice. 

On  his  arrival  at  the  place,  he  acted  accordingly ;  and  the  old 
woman's  knee  shrivelled  up,  she  at  the  same  time  saying,  "  Proceed, 
child."  And  when  Rafaralahy  had  entered,  God  said,  "  Come  forward, 
then  1 "  bidding  him  to  come  on  to  the  clean  mat.  But  he  would  not 
sit  down  on  the  clean  part,  but  away  south  of  the  hearth,  in  the  place 
of  the  God's  servants,  he  sat  down.  Then  God  said  to  his  servants, 
**  Bring  to  Rafaralahy  what  is  well  cooked,  and  set  apart  the  under- 
done." So  they  brought  the  rice  in  a  silver  dish,  but  again  he  would 
not  eat,  for  it  was  God's  dish,  but  ate  together  with  the  servants. 
And  when  he  had  eaten,  God  said,  "  What  is  it  troubles  and  distresses 
you,  that  you  have  come  here  to  me,  Rafiiraluhy?  "  He  replied,  "  To 
ask  for  wealth,  my  lord  ;  for  my  father  has  treated  me  unfairly."  So 
he  related  to  him  the  story  of  his  father's  commands  as  to  his  property. 
Then  God  said,  **  Sleep  here  meanwhile,  for  it  is  evening."  So 
Rafuraldhy  slept  there. 

And  when  it  was  morning,  God  said  again,  "  Now  Andriampurany, 
take  which  you  like  :  Tsipitipity  (a  plant)  or  money?"  So  Rafiiraluhy 
said,  "  1  choose  the  plant."  Then  said  God,  '•  Ah,  you  consider  the 
end  of  things,  Andriampurany,  so  here  are  some  young  trees  for  you 


MALAGASY  FOLK-TALES.  77 

to  plant ;  so  make  a  country  house*  on  a  high  hill,  for  the  living 
creatures  upon  the  earth  will  come  to  you."  So  the  things  spoken  by 
God  were  fulfilled  to  Rafaraliihy,  and  he  became  very  wealthy.f 

So  after  some  time  had  passed,  his  brothers  perceived  that  Rafaralahy 
had  become  rich.  And  they  asked  him,  "  Wherever  have  you  got 
such  a  vast  amount  of  property  ?  "  He  replied,  "  From  where  do  you 
suppose  ?  for  I  obtained  it  from  God."  When  they  heard  that  they 
were  eager  to  go  too,  and  said,  "  Come,  let  us  also  get  some  there,  for 
if  he  gave  to  Rafaralahy  much  more  will  he  give  to  us." 

So  off  they  set  with  haste  over  the  hills,  and  after  they  had  gone  a 
little  way  they  met  some  water-bearers,  who  asked,  "  Where  are  you 
going  ?  "  They  replied,  "We  are  going  to  God  to  get  wealth."  The 
water-bearers  said,  '*  Come,  let  us  show  you  the  road."  But  they 
refused,  shaking  their  heads  and  saying,  "  Rafaralahy  got  there  with- 
out being  directed,  much  more  may  we  ! "  at  the  same  time  looking 
very  supercilious  and  turning  up  their  noses.  After  a  little  while 
again  they  came  up  with  the  stone-burners,J  who  inquired  their 
errand  in  the  same  way,  and  whom  they  answered  in  the  same  manner 
as  they  had  done  the  water-carriers. 

And  after  some  time  they  came  to  God.  But  when  they  saw  the 
old  woman  and  the  dogs  and  ravenous  beasts,  they  did  not  know  about 
them  as  their  brother  did,  for  they  shouted  at  the  dogs  and  drove 
them  and  the  beasts  away,  and  brushed  by  the  old  woman  and  came 
trampling  heavily  to  God's  dwelling,  and  arriving  at  the  door  called 
out,  "  Haody,  haody  !  "§  So  God  said,  "  Come  forward  here,  north  of 
the  hearth."  Then  the  impudent  fellows  pressed  forward.  So  God 
said  to  his  servants,  "  Get  some  food  for  the  strangers."  So  the 
servants  placed  some  on  the  silver  dish,  and  the  fellows  ate  away  until 
they  were  gorged.  Then  God  inquired  of  them,  "  Where  are  you 
from  ?  and  where  are  you  going  ?  and  what  is  your  errand  ?"  The 
pair  replied,  "  To  seek  wealth  here  from  thee,  for  you  have  given 
Rafaralahy  abundance  and  to  spare."     So  he  replied,  "  Wait  awhile 

*  The  word  so  translated  is  literally  "  round-fosse,"  as  the  great  majority  of 
compounds  are  surrounded  with  a  circular  fosse.  And  old  villages  in  Imerina 
and  Betsileo  are  all  on  hills. 

t  Literally,  "  a  thousander,"  as  we  say  '*  a  millionaire." 

X  Men  procuring  the  large  slabs  of  blue  basalt  rock  which  are  used  for  Hova 
tombs,  by  means  of  burning  small  fires  of  cow-dung,  by  which  the  stone  is  heated 
and  split  off  in  the  sizes  required. 

§  The  usual  phrase  employed  in  asking  permission  to  enter  a  friend's  house. 


78  MALAGASY  FOLK-TALES. 

until  the  morning,  until  I  have  thought  over  it."  And  he  bade  them 
sleep  on  the  golden  bedstead,  and  they  slept.  But  when  the  night 
was  half  gone,  lo  and  behold  they  had  not  slept  at  all,  for  they  were 
thinking  of  the  great  wealth  they  were  to  have.  So  God  inquired, 
"  Why  are  Andriamatoa  and  Andrianaivo  turning  about  so  uneasily  ? 
is  the  mattress  uncomfortable  ?  "  They  replied,  "  No,  sir,  the  bed  is 
very  good  ;  but  we  were  then  desiring  a  long  tail."  He  said,  "  Wait 
awhile,  it  is  yet  night."  After  a  while  God  asked  again,  "  Perhaps 
your  pillow  is  uncomfortable  ?  or  it  is  the  fleas  make  you  roll  about  ?  " 
*•  No,  sir,"  said  they,  "  there  are  no  fleas,  and  the  pillow  is  all  right, 
but  we  were  then  wishing  for  four  feet."  So  he  said,  "  Wait 
patiently."  And  after  a  little  while  again,  God  said,  "  Your  bed  must 
surely  be  uncomfortable,  since  you  act  so."  "  No,  sir,"  said  they, 
"  but  we  were  wishing  for  a  large  mouth."  And  after  waiting  a  little 
while  again,  God  said,  "  You  are  altogether  too  modest,  for  nothing 
at  all  is  good !  "  "  No,  sir,  but  we  were  wishing  for  long  tusks." 
And  after  a  little  while  more  God  said,  "  Don't  be  too  bashful,  friends, 
for  if  anything  is  wrong,  speak  out."  So  they  protested  strongly, 
**  Not  at  all,  sir  !  "  And  when  it  was  getting  towards  morning  he 
said,  "  I  fear  there  are  vermin  in  the  bed  ?  "  They  replied,  "  There 
arc  none,  sir  ;  but  we  were  wishing  for  long  ears  and  much  long 
hair."  So  after  waiting  a  little  longer  day  broke,  and  God  said, 
**  Come,  wake  up,  for  it  is  morning,  and  go  out  into  the  courtyard, 
for  you  shall  have  what  you  desired  and  sought  for."  But  no  sooner 
had  they  got  there  than  they  changed  in  an  instant,  and  became  long- 
tailed,  and  went  on  all-fours,  and  had  long  tusks  and  big  mouths  and 
ears,  and  abundant  long  hair. 

So  when  those  things  came  to  pass  which  they  had  desired,  they 
leaped  about  and  jumped,  and  then  went  home  to  their  dwellings. 
But  when  they  got  there  the  people  and  their  relations  said,  '*  What 
has  befallen  them  ?  "  for  one  was  speckled  and  the  other  black.  So 
the  people  were  afraid,  and  shouted  and  called  out  to  keep  them  from 
coming  up  into  the  town,  for  the  women  and  children  were  frightened. 
So  the  pair  went  leaping  off  towards  the  forest ;  and  the  people  called 
them  "  Amhbanala  1 "    (This,  they  say,  was  the  origin  of  the  lemurs.)* 

*  The  LemuHdcey  it  is  well  known,  are  the  most  characteristic  group  of 
mammalia  inhabiting  Madagascar,  and  include  nearly  forty  species,  that  is, 
more  than  half  of  the  whole  mammalian  fauna  of  the  island.  Certain  species 
are  called  by  the  people  Amboanala,  i.e.  "  forest  dogs." 


MALAGASY  FOLK-TALES.  79 

Now  look  well :  This,  it  is   said,  was  what  they  were  considering 
about  when  they  asked  those  various  things  from  God  : — 
A  long  tail,  that  is,  a  long  loin-cloth.* 
Four  feet,  „      joy  on  obtaining  wealth. 

Long  ears,        „       large  ear-rings. 
Long  tusks,      „       laughing   and  smiling  when  obtaining 

great  wealth. 
A  large  mouth  „       to    lord    it    over    other    people    when 

wealthy. 
Long  hair         „       a  fine  hat. 
Much  hair,        „       thick  clothing. 
These  are  the  things  upon  which  their  desires  were  fixed,  and  which 
they  hoped  would  be  fulfilled,  and  that  they  would  obtain  from  God. 
But,  friends,   God  is  not  intrusive,  and  he  likes  not  the  unspoken 
thought  and  the  unpreferred  desire,  but  that  men  should  ask  openly. 
And  so  those  two  brothers  were  punished  as  described  because  their 
desires  and  their  petitions  were  evil,  and  so  evil  overtook  them. 

And  this  is  my  advice  to  you,  friends :  Do  not  hide  things,  or 
attempt  to  conceal  when  you  make  request  to  God,  for  he  does  not 
care  for  offerings,  but  what  you  really  need  is  what  he  gives.  And 
you,  children,  take  heed,  for  you  often  speak  with  unguarded  lips  to 
God. 


The  Fkog  and  the  Wild-Hog. 

{This  Story  comes  from  Vakinanharatra.'\) 

NCE  upon  a  time,  they  say,  the  frog  and  the  wild-hog  met 
together  and  told  stories  to  each  other,  and  vied  with 
each  other  in  drinking,  and  also  spoke  of  recent  things 
and  fabulous,  things ;  but  still  they  were  far  from  seeing 
clearly  their  origin. 

♦  This  is  called  saliika,  and  is  a  long  narrow  piece  of  cloth  wound  several 
times  round  the  loins,  and  with  the  ends,  or  tails,  hanging  down  in  front;  some 
times  these  are  elaborately  ornamented  with  beads. 

f  This  is  the  name  of  a  division  of  the  country  south-west  of  Imerina,  and  so 
called  because  in  it  is  the  gi-eat  mass  of  the  Ankaratra  mountains,  by  which  it  is 
broken  (valty')  or  divided  from  the  other  districts. 


80  MALAGASY  FOLK-TALES. 

And  the  last  thing  they  chatted  of  was  about  calling  at  each  other's 
homes  and  entertaining  one  another. 

Then  said  the  wild-hog,  •'  Now  come,  you  shall  visit  me  first,  for 
I'm  the  senior."  "  Yes,"  said  the  frog,  "  that's  all  right,  and  not  to 
be  gainsaid,  for  yon  are  acknowledged  to  be  the  elder,  and  father  and 
mother."  So  away  the  pair  went,  and  they  came  to  the  wild-hog's 
dwelling ;  the  meal  was  ready,  and  they  ate  to  repletion. 

And  after  a  while  the  time  came  to  go  to  the  frog's  dwelling- 
place.  But  when  they  came  there  and  the  food  was  served,  there  was 
so  little  of  it  that  the  wild-hog  was  by  no  means  satisfied.  So  he 
grumbled;  and  after  a  little  while  he  was  angry,  for  he  could  not 
support  life  with  such  a  meal.  Then  he  spoke  thus :  "  You  have  been 
impertinent  and  insolent  to  me,  you  fellow';  when  you  came  to 
visit  me  I  gave  you  to  eat  to  repletion.  But  when  I  come  to  see  you 
you  give  m(5  a  dog's  meal.  You  want  to  put  me  to  the  test  and  to 
defy  me,  you  fellow  ;  so  come,  let  us  fight,  although  we  have  agreed 
to  share  the  difficult  and  the  bitter  "  (for  they  had  made  a  blood- 
covenant). 

Then  said  the  frog,  "  Well,  if  yon  so  wish,  it  is  all  the  same  to  me; 
I  am  not  in  the  least  afraid,  and  I  will  not  ask  for  breathing-time, 
although  I  should  feel  hurt." 

Then  said  the  wild-hog,  "  Come  then,  let  us  make  an  appointment." 
The  frog  replied,  "  All  right,  just  whenever  you  please,  for  nobody  is 
to  be  backward  about  that."  So  the  wild-hog  said,  "  Come  then,  let 
us  first  try  our  wind,  and  strength,  and  endurance."  "  Agreed,"  said 
the  frog. 

So  the  two  agreed  together  that  they  would  race  to  the  top  of  a 
high  hill.  But  just  as  the  wild-hog  commenced  to  run,  the  frog  leaped 
upon  his  neck ;  and  the  wild-hog  knew  nothing  about  it,  for  he  did 
not  feel  him  at  all  because  he  was  big  in  the  neck,  while  the  frog  was 
so  light  thfit  his  weight  did  not  ruffle  a  hair.  So  the  wild-hog 
ran,  and  raced,  and  galloped,  and  fumed;  and  just  when  he  had  arrived 
at  the  goal,  the  frog  leaped  off",  but  the  wild-hog  did  not  see  him  get 
off  and  come  to  the  place,  so  he  was  forced  to  say,  "  Why,  you  fellow, 
you  have  done  it." 


MALAGASY  FOLK-TALES.  81 

Then  he  was  obliged  to  say,  "  Come,  let  us  try  which  can  leap  best." 
So  the  frog  replied,  "  Just  whatever  will  make  moonlight  in  your 
belly  (so,  lit.  trans.)  Do  your  best,  for  if  you  don't  exert  yourself 
you  will  regret  it,  so  don't  have  a  stomach-ache  for  nothing." 

So  the  two  came  to  the  water-side  to  try  who  could  leap  furthest. 
And  when  they  came  there  and  the  wild-hog  was  just  about  to  do  his 
best,  the  frog  jumped  again  upon  his  neck.  And  again  the  stupid 
fellow  knew  nothing  about  it,  for  what  good  is  it  to  be  big  if  one  has 
no  sense  ?  And  so  when  they  were  just  at  the  goal  the  frog  leaped 
oflf  again,  and  so  he  was  first,  upon  which  the  wild-hog  foamed  at 
the  mouth,  and  his  eyes  turned  red.  And  again  he  was  astonished 
to  see  him  take  it  so  easily,  and  said,  "  There  is  no  getting  the  better 
of  you,  you  rascal." 

Then  he  spoke  again,  and  said,  "  Come,  let  us  have  one  more  trial." 
**  Agreed,"  said  the  frog.  The  other  said,  "  Let  us  both  call  together 
our  friends,  for  this  is  the  last  trial,  lest  we  should  die  without  any 
relatives  present,  and  so  prove  the  proverb,  '  Dying  in  silence,  like 
embers.'"  ♦*  Agreed,"  said  the  frog;  so  he  went  off  and  called 
together  all  the  frogs  of  his  tribe,  and  also  the  tsintsina  (a  bird, 
Gisticola  Madagascariensis) ;  and  they  assembled  in  great  numbers. 

But  the  wild-hog  boasted  so  much  that  only  two  or  three  of  his 
friends  came.  And  when  they  were  assembled  the  wild-hog  began  to 
eat,  but  the  tsintsinas  called  out,  "  Tsintsino,  tsintsino  !  "  &c.  and  the 
frogs  croaked,  "  Ireo,  ireo !  "  &c.*  And  when  the  wild-hog  heard 
that  he  could  endure  no  longer,  but  fled.  So  the  frogs  and  the  birds 
cried  out,  "  Curses  on  you,  you  stupid  !  there  is  nothing  at  all,  and 
you  flee  without  any  one  pursuing." 

*  Words  which  the  natives  fancy  the  birds  and  frogs  say  in  their  cries  and 
croaking. 


Vol.  2.— -Part  3. 


CHILDKEN'S  GAMES  IN  SICILY.* 


I  HIS  forms  the  thirteenth  volume  of  that  marvellous  collec- 
tion commenced  not  many  years  ago  by  Dr.  Pitre,  and 
well-known  to  students  of  folk-lore  under  the  title  of 
*'  Biblioteca  delle  tradizioni  popolari  Siciliane."  Of  this 
collection  the  first  three  volumes  contain  popular  songs  and  a  study  of 
popular  poetry,  with  a  glossary  and  grammar  of  the  Sicilian  dialect 
and  its  variations.  The  four  following  volumes  are  a  gathering  of 
folk-tales  so  novel  and  so  interesting  that  the  rest  of  Europe  has  as 
yet  been  able  to  furnish  nothing  in  real  rivalry  to  them.  The  next 
volumes  are  devoted  to  the  proverbs  of  the  island  contrasted  with 
those  of  the  Italian  peninsula.  The  twelfth  volume  treats  of  the 
public  spectacles  and  festivals  of  Sicily.  The  thirteenth  is  the  one 
now  before  us. 

By  this  briefest  of  summaries,  the  non-Italian  reader  will  see  what 
Dr.  Pitre  has  been  able  to  achieve  in  the  course  of  a  few  revolving 
years,  without  eflfectual  aid  or  suggestion  from  fellow-students  or 
previous  workers  in  the  same  field. 

Knowing  this  preliminarily,  the  reader  will  not  be  surprised  to 
learn  that  the  present  volume  is  a  worthy  pendant  to  its  delightful 
predecessors.  Like  them,  it  is  no  pensive  production  of  the  study  and 
the  library;  but  its  author  has  sought  and  found  his  subjects  wherever 
very  young,  untrammelled  Sicily  exercises  its  sportive  ingenuity  and 
vents  its  animal  spirits.  And  the  results  of  these  investigations  of 
Dr.  Pitr^  are  fresh  as  the  games  themselves  and  the  boys  that  play 
them. 

Dr.  Pitre  insists  preliminarily  upon  the  important  bearings  of  his 

*  Giuochi  faneiuleschi  Siciliani,  raccolti  e  descritti  da  Giuseppe  Pitre  con 
dieci  tavole  a  fototipia,  quattro  a  litografia  ed  una  a  stampa.  Palermo:  Luigi 
Pcdooe  Lauriel,  editore.     1883. 


children's  games  in  SICILY.  83 

subject  upon  metaphysics,  ethnology,  and  folk-lore.  None  at  the 
present  day  will  be  inclined  to  dispute  this  postulate. 

He  remarks  with  feeling  that  children  have  a  haunting  idea  that 
their  happy,  careless  life  will  eventually  change  into  something  more 
Fruitful  and  graver.  In  spite  of  the  genial  haze  that  surrounds  them 
they  play  at  games  that  reflect  somewhat  the  thoughts  and  actions  of 
their  hardworked  and  responsible  elders.  Thus  boys  when  they  spin 
tops  and  play  at  marbles  hope  to  win  button^  or  some  other  sorry 
representatives  of  value.  They  even,  liroh  pudor,  strain  after  the  gain 
of  the  humblest  coppers  at  "  pitch  and  toss,"  "  heads  or  tails."  The 
little  girls  who  keep  proudly  aloof  from  all  such  vulgarities  as  these 
equally,  in  their  turn,  desire  to  imitate  their  own  natural  leaders. 
They  prettily  copy  les  petits  soins  of  their  honoured  mothers,  and 
dress  and  nurse  a  mimic  icon,  mystically  called  a  doll,  but  which  in 
the  days  of  their  great-grandmothers  was  more  simply  and  intelligibly 
styled  a  baby.  Domestic  duties  in  anticipation  exercise  their  well- 
disposed  minds  to  the  same  extent  as  a  nascent  auri  sacra  fames 
weighs  upon  the  thoughts  of  their  more  restless  brothers. 

The  sports  of  boys,  as  being  ruder,  more  slovenly,  and  more  bois- 
terous, are  naturally  exclusively  their  own.  No  one  has  ever  seen 
girls  emulate  the  ruder  sex  at  leap-frog. 

But  there  is  a  class  of  intermediate  pastimes,  neither  too  rough  nor 
too  refined,  at  which  both  sexes  can  meet  on  even  ground  and  animate 
each  other  by  their  natural  sympathy.  We  mean  "  blind  man's  buff," 
"  puss  in  the  corner,"  &c. 

To  begin  our  task,  we  have  first  to  remark  that  Sicilian  boys  have 
all  the  games  known  to  our  English  boys,  excepting,  of  course,  cricket 
and  rounders. 

Their  games  are,  perhaps,  enacted  with  more  spirit  and  liveliness? 
and  have  more  spoken  yb/vnw/o?  and  dialogue. 

Sicilian  boys  also,  with  a  truer  feeling  for  what  will  ensure  the 
success  of  their  sports,  in  all  cases  that  admit  of  it,  choose  a  leader 
(capegiucS).  This  measure  ensures  not  only  order  and  good  govern- 
ment but  preserves  that  accuracy  of  tradition  which  a  democratic 
administration  would  weaken  or  revolutionise. 

Here  are  some  of  the  Southern  games. — A  boy  holds  nuts  or  apricots 

g2 


84  children's  games  in  SICILY. 

in  one  hand,  while  another  boy  gnessos  the  number  of  them  in  answer 
to  the  question,  "  Quantu  lanzi "  (how  many  lances).  If  he  guesses 
rightly  he  wins  all  that  are  held  in  the  hand,  but  if  he  guesses  less  or 
more  he  pays  the  difference. 

In  Shakespeare's  day  this  was  called  "  Handy  Dandy,"  and  he 
alludes  to  it  under  that  name  in  a  well-known  passage  in  King  Lear. 

There  are  two  other  games  of  this  same  family  which  merit  notice, 
as  breathing  the  air  of  the  fruit-bearing  island.  A  boy  cuts  open  an 
orange,  or  a  lemon,  or  a  medlar,  and  another  is  invited  to  guess  rightly 
the  number  of  the  pips  or  the  stones. 

A  boy  takes  in  one  hand  two  straws,  one  longer  than  the  other, 
another  boy  undertakes  to  guess  which  is  which,  and  wins  or  loses 
according  to  the  accuracy  of  his  clairvoyance. 

Some  urchins  play  at  an  infantile  roulette  which  they  call  by  the 
innocent  and  unpretending  name  of  Firialoru. 

In  the  game  called  acula  e  cruci  we  have  the  English  heads  or  tails ^ 
now  confined  to  boys  in  whose  vulgar  faces  the  board  school  shuts  its 
door.  In  Italy  the  title  has  varied  according  to  the  coin  employed, 
"  Head  or  cross  "  in  Naples,  "  Lily  or  saint "  in  Florence. 

In  IJaneddu  is  disguised  our  old  friend  "  Hot  Cockles."  Here  a 
number  of  boys  sit  round  on  the  ground  and  put  their  hands  close 
together.  The  leader  holds  a  stone,  or  a  nut,  or  a  lupin,  a  ring,  a 
thimble,  or  a  small  key,  and  passes  it  on  to  the  others  in  silence. 
Then  he  asks  one  of  them  who  has  this  object.  If  the  boy  guesses 
rightly  he  becomes  leader,  but  if  not  he  opens  his  hand  to  receive  a 
blow  (rume)  in  forfeit. 

In  A  lu  SpangUf  three  or  more  boys  go  close  to  a  wall  or  some 
other  elevation  or  upright.  Three  yards  or  so  from  this  is  drawn  a 
line  to  serve  as  the  limit  of  the  play,  and  a  hole  is  scooped.  Then 
one  of  the  boys  begins  the  play  by  striking  the  wall  with  a  copper 
coin.  This  copper  should  rebound  and  cross  the  line,  and  so  if  possible 
go  into  the  hole.  Then  another  boy  follows,  and  if  he  sends  his  coin 
into  the  hole  after  passing  the  line  he  wins  double  (stravince').  If  he 
fails  by  going  beyond  the  line  he  loses  and  leaves  his  copper  behind 
him. 

A  li  Pisuli. — This  is  played  with  marbles  (pezzettini  di  mattone 


children's  games  in  SICILY.  85 

arrotondati),  eighteen  or  sixteen  in  number,  or  witli  peacli-stones. 
Two  boys  play.  They  first  determine  who  is  to  take  the  jnsuli^  as 
they  are  called.  The  winner  at  this  preliminary  trial  puts  them  all 
into  the  hollow  of  his  hand  and  throws  them  into  the  air  {in  alto)^ 
catching  them  as  they  fall  on  the  back  of  his  hand.  Again  he  throws 
them  up  and  catches  them  in  the  hollow  of  his  hand.  These  latter 
he  wins. 

A  lu  Struzzi. — Is  played  with  hard-boiled  eggs  {uova  sode).  The 
eggs  are  tried  thus :  a  boy  with  the  end  of  his  own  e^g  beats  upon  an 
e^^  proffered  by  another  boy ;  whichever  egg  is  broken  is  forfeited. 

A  la  Sciddicalura. — This  little  game  breathes  of  country  simplicity. 
Two  boys  select  a  spot  of  ground  on  an  inclined  plane.  First  a  nut  is 
started  down  the  incline,  and  allowed  to  remain  wherever  it  has  stopped. 
Then  the  other  boys  each  in  turn  set  a  nut  or  an  almond  rolling  down 
the  same  descent,  and  hope  it  will  strike  the  original  nut. 

A  Murari. — In  this  a  little  more  skill  is  evidenced.  Upon  a  rising 
ground  a  row  of  nuts,  apples,  or  apricot  stones,  contributed  by  all  the 
players,  is  placed.  The  players,  according  to  priority,  and  at  a  distance 
settled  amongst  themselves,  pitch  similar  objects  at  this  row,  and  what 
each  knocks  out  he  wins. 

This  is  quite  famihar  to  English  boys,  by  whom  it  is  played  with 
marbles. 

Sometimes  the  nuts  to  be  struck  out  are  put  in  a  small  heap,  and 
then  the  game  has  a  suspicion  of  j7i/ramids  (a  li  casteddu). 

A  lu  Granu  supra  la  nuci. — This  is  played  as  follows  : 

A  boy  who  is  to  act  as  the  bank  places  firmly  and  upright  in  the 
ground  a  walnut,  and  surmounts  it  with  a  piece  of  two  centesimi  (a 
diminutive  coin  which  in  our  peregrinations  in  the  Peninsula  it  has 
never  been  our  great  good  fortune  to  have  seen).  Other  boys  fire 
away  at  this  with  their  own  walnuts  from  a  fixed  distance.  If  the 
standing  walnut  is  fairly  hit  and  the  coin  falls  off  the  thrower  wins  it. 

There  is  a  variety  of  this  game,  the  interest  in  which  extends 
beyond  Sicily.  Sometimes  the  walnut  is  placed  upright  before  a 
hole,  and  into  this  hole  the  coin  must  not  fall.  Here  is  Aunt  Sally 
in  a  state  of  decent  simplicity,  devoid  of  its  huge  tropical  fruit  and  its 
sometimes  unsober  boisterousness,  acquired  through  becoming  a  pas- 


86  children's  games  in  sicily. 

time  for  adults.  In  a  lu  Titrnu  the  circle  or  hole  is  larger,  and  the 
hitting  is  done  with  a  ladle  (inestola). 

A  la  morti  o  a  quartaccio. 

This  is  by  necessity  played  in  towns.  Some  boys,  undeterred  by  the 
sanitary  scruples  of  the  age,  assemble  round  one  of  the  large  flat 
stones  (lastre)  which  cover  drains  in  a  city.  Such  a  stone  is  usually 
pierced  with  five  round  holes,  or  with  three  horizontal  slits  called  by 
the  boys  morti.  The  first  player,  from  a  point  agreed  upon,  pitches  a 
ball  (or  an  orange)  at  one  of  these  holes.  If  it  stops  there  the  boy 
scores,  and  then  tries  for  the  other  holes  after  the  same  fashion. 

Sometimes  the  necessary  holes  are  not  found  ready  made,  but  have 
to  be  made  in  the  ground  (a  li  casseddi.) 

A  gnicchiu  o  palasu.  This  game  has  more  interest  for  us,  as  we 
shall  see.  Two  longitudinal  lines  are  marked  upon  the  ground,  and 
are  divided  into  transverse  sections,  so  as  to  form  from  seven  to  nine 
compartments  called  nicchie.  The  first  player  drops  a  little  disc 
{jtalasu)  into  the  first  niche,  and  then  hops  on  one  leg,  holding  the 
other  leg  well  up,  into  the  first  niche,  and  kicks  the  palasu  into  the 
second  and  other  niches.  He  must  not  touch  the  line  or  put  down 
his  foot  except  at  the  fourth  niche,  otherwise  he  is  out. 

At  this  part  of  his  book  Dr.  Pitre  appends  an  interesting  photo- 
type of  boys,  some  playing,  and  others  looking  on  at  the  game  (our 
hopscotch). 

A  lu  Balluni  is  our  football. 

A  Manciugghia  is  something  like  the  much-dreaded  tipcat  of  our 
London  streets. 

A  Bocci  e  a  Ravtgghia  is  a  rudimentary  croquet. 

A  la  Strummula  is  spinning-top  playing  in  all  its  displays  of  dex- 
terity. 

A  Cancara  e  bella  and  a  Gadduzza  are  "  Buck,  buck,  how  many 
horns  do  I  hold  up  ?  " 

A  Bue  is  "  Hide  and  seek." 

Ad  attuppa  occhi,  ad  aacetta  canuncce  nudduj  a  caca  linuaa,  Piunu 
russu,  are  *'  Blindman's  buff"  and  "  Puss  in  the  comer." 

A  SetamurUf  a  Tintiriuti. 

In  these  two  games  a  boy  mounts  the  back  of  another  boy  and 


r 


children's  GAMKS  in  SICILY.  87 


keeps  him  thus  in  penance  whilst  he  counts  a  given  number.     If  he 
fails  to  keep  it  up  rightly  he  descends,  and  the  other  boy  takes  his  place. 
A  Unnici  e  venti^  a  Travu  longUf  is  a  form  of  leapfrog. 
A  ca  passa  lu  diavolo. — This  is  a  piece  of  merry  southern  levity. 
Two  rows  of  boys  standing  opposite  to  each  other  join  their  arms  so 
as  to  form  a  gallery.     Then  the  leader  takes  a  boy  on  his  shoulders, 
letting  his  legs  hang  down  on  his  chest,  and  passes  under  the  gallery 
(or   arch),  saying,   "  St.  John  (or  whatever   else  the   boy's  name) 
passes."   The  others,  giving  him  a  gentle  knock  in  the  ribs,  say,  "  Let 
him  pass."  The  leader  repeats  this  proceeding  with  other  boys,  saying, 
"  St.  Joseph  passes,"  and  so  on  for  seven  or  eight  times.     Then  he 
essays  with  another,  using  the  formula.  Ah  ca  passa  lu  diavolo  (Now 
comes  the  devil),  and  thereupon  all  the  boys  pitch  into  both,  and  the 
game  ends  in  a  romp.     This  is  a  very  popular  pastime. 
A  Tila,  tilay  tila. 

This  is  our  "  Oranges  and  Lemons,"  so  dear  to  both  sexes  in 
England.  Several  boys  play.  Two  are  chosen  to  be  chief  and  under- 
chief.  All  take  each  other  by  the  hand  and  form  a  long  chain,  the 
extremities  of  which  are  held  by  the  two  chiefs,  the  first  of  whom 
starts  with  the  other  the  following  dialogue  :  1.  "  Tila,  tila,  tila." 
2.  'Half  an  ell  of  tUa."  1.  "What  will  you  pay  me  for  it?" 
2.  "Three  tari  and  a  half."  L  "I  cannot  give  it  you  for  that." 
2.  "  What  music  do  you  wish,  the  violin  or  the  big  drum?  " 

If  the  under-chief  says  "  Violin,"  the  other  holding  his  comrade  by 
the  hand  says,  "  Zu,  zu,  zu"  (in  imitation  of  the  instrument).  If  the 
boy  says  "Grancascia"  (big  drum),  his  companion  says,  "  Buhm, 
buhm,"  and  draws  away  the  boy  and  those  who  are  held  by  him,  and 
passes  with  them  under  the  arms  of  the  first  two  at  the  other 
extremity,  and  so  on  with  the  others  until  they  are  all  turned  round. 

A  toccamuru. — This  is  our  "  touch."  A  boy  must  touch  the  wall 
or  he  is  caught,  and  consequently  "  out.'* 

A  la  tappina  is  hunt  the  slipper,  and  requires  no  further  specifi- 
cation. 

A  lu  Castellu  is  our  simple  romp,  "  I'm  king  of  the  castle."  Dr. 
Pitre  justly  observes  of  it :  "  It  is  a  game  of  strength,  agility,  and 
dexterity,"  viz.  in   storming   and  defending  the  "castle,"  which  is 


BB  children's  games  in  sicilt. 

nny  little  eminence  of  ground.  This  game  forms  an  appropriate 
introduction  to  prisoner's  bars  (or  base),  played  in  Italy  and  Sicily 
under  the  name  of  a  It  Pahzzi,  and  most  closely  resembling  our  own 
game. 

With  this  we  conclude  our  gleanings  from  Dr.  Pitre's  charming 
exegesis.  Our  object  has  been  throughout  this  notice,  long  as  it  may 
Appear,  not  to  exhaust  his  treasury,  but  only  to  intimate  with  some- 
thing like  sufficient  particularity  what  are  the  contents  of  this  very 
remarkable  book.  The  games  described  by  Dr.  Pitr^,  exceeding  in 
number  three  hundred,  and  not  confined  to  the  Italian  island  only, 
have  presented  a  task  of  some  magnitude,  and  could  not  of  course  be 
given  in  their  absolute  integrity  within  our  limited  space. 

The  reader  doubtless  has  seen  that  a  very  great  number  of  the 
games  so  described  by  us  do  not  admit  of  even  the  local  restriction 
implied  by  Dr.  Pitre,  large  as  that  is,  but  have  long  ago  passed  the 
Alps  and  taken  up  their  abode  amongst  us  here.  When  and  how  did 
this  emigration  take  place?  We  know  for  certain  that  children's 
games  are  not  taught  by  books,  they  are  only  passed  on  from  place  to 
place  by  personal  propaganda,  the  lively  indoctrination  of  young  pro- 
fessors into  the  ready  minds  of  catechumens  quite  as  youthful.  Such 
also  must  have  been  the  general  method  through  which  in  its  present 
and  final  result  we  find  the  boys  of  Surrey  and  Yorkshire  practising 
a  childish  folk-lore  common  to  them  with  their  young  contemporaries 
of  Sicily  and  Italy.  But  under  what  conditions  was  this  tradition 
formally  initiated  ?  There  is  no  real  difficulty,  we  think,  in  answering 
this  question — we  mean,  of  course,  in  a  general  way.  Britain  was 
for  nearly  four  centuries  a  Latin  country,  and  as  we  owe  to  this 
historical  fact  the  explanation  of  many  other  Latin  traditions  which 
we  have  in  our  midst,  we  do  not  see  that  there  need  be  much  repug- 
nance to  refer  our  childish  games,  Latin  as  they  betray  themselves  to 
be,  to  the  same  interesting  category  of  cause  and  effect. 

But  however  this  be,  we  cannot  close  our  notice  of  this  admirable 
book  without  calling  our  readers'  attention  to  an  entirely  novel  and 
very  interesting  feature  of  it,  the  phototypes  taken  of  boys  as  they 
stand  engaged  in  the  various  games  described  in  the  text. 

H.  C.  COOTK. 


BURMESE  ORDEALS.* 


N  a  lecture  by  Mr.  R.  H.  Pileher,  C.S.,  before  the  Insti- 
tute, I  find  the  following  about  Burma.  The  oath  ordeal 
is  often  proposed  by  one  of  the  parties  to  a  suit  them- 
selves.f  The  Burmese  are  a  very  religious  people,  and 
regard  an  oath  with  some  dread.  They  are  not  litigious  or  quarrel- 
some, and  thus  A  often  says  "  If  B  will  swear  to  his  version  of  the 
story  I  will  be  satisfied." 

There  are  three  other  forms  of  ordeal.  In  one,  two  candles,  one  for 
each  party,  of  equal  size,  and  with  equally  thick  wicks,  are  solemnly 
burnt  on  an  altar,  or  in  a  temple,  and  the  party  is  worsted  whose 
candle  goes  out  first. 

In  another  each  man's  forefinger  is  wrapped  round  with  feathers, 
so  as  to  leave  the  tip  exposed.  The  forefingers  are  plunged  into 
molten  lead,  and  then  tied  up  for  a  few  days.  If  one  party  is  injured 
and  the  other  is  not,  the  former  loses.  If  there  is  difficulty  in  deciding 
which  is  the  more  hurt  the  fingers  are  pricked,  and  the  flow  of  serum 
from  the  one  finger  and  not  from  the  other  determines  the  point. 

The  third  kind  of  ordeal  is  by  water.  The  two  parties  go  into  suffi- 
ciently deep  water,  and  their  heads  are  pushed  down  with  poles.  He 
wins  who  can  remain  under  longest. 

It  is  in  these  days  allowed  to  undergo  this  (and  I  suppose  other 
ordeals)  by  deputy,  a  permission  which  seems  to  detract  not  a  little 
from  their  value.     But  indeed  they  are  not  often  resorted  to. 

*  From  the  Jmrnal  of  the  United  Service  Institution  of  India  for  1882, 
vol.  xi.  No.  53,  pp.  310-312.     Simla. 

t  In  India,  among  the  lowers,  it  is  not  at  all  uncommon  for  one  of  the  parties 
to  say  that  he  will  abide  by  the  other's  oath  to  the  truth  of  a  statement.  The 
oath  is  then  administered  in  the  particular  form  the  applicant  desires,  and  he  is 
obliged  by  law  to  abide  by  the  result. 


90  NOTES  AND  QUERIES. 

When  Crawford  visited  Ava  in  1826,  however,  this  could  hardly 
have  been  the  case,  for  he  even  gives  details  of  the  various  fees  pay- 
able to  those  who  assisted  at  the  ordeals. 

I  may  here  remark  that  in  Upper  Burma  oaths  are  not  used  as  in 
our  courts  on  ordinary  occasions.  They  are  regarded  as  a  kind  of 
ordeal  themselves,  and  are  only  taken  in  the  last  resort  by  one  of  the 
parties,  on  the  agreement  of  the  other  to  be  bound  by  the  result.  The 
oath  is  taken  with  great  solemnity  before  the  altar,  and  a  sort  of  fes- 
tival is  held  on  the  occasion,  the  parties  and  their  friends  going  with 
a  band  in  holiday  attire  to  the  temple. 

After  judgment  is  given,  and  if  the  parties  agree  to  abide  by  it,  they 
both  eat  tea,  and  the  judgment  then  becomes  final.  If  they  do  not 
so  agree  they  may  appeal  to  a  higher  court.  Sometimes  if  the  worsted 
party  is  considered  unreasonable  or  contumacious  he  is  imprisoned  for 
a  time,  to  compel  him  to  eat  tea  and  accept  the  court's  decision. 

R.  C.  Temple. 


NOTES  AND  QUERIES. 

Co.  Donegal,  May  Eve. — In  the  neighbourhood  of  Lough  Swilly 
and  Letterkenny  they  light  fires  from  three  to  six  days  before  May 
Eve,  while  on  the  day  the  hills  are  in  a  blaze  with  fires.  They  also 
light  fires  on  New  Lammas  day  (August  1st),  while  only  a  few  light 
on  St.  John's  Eve  (June  23),  but  in  North  and  West  Donegal  they 
light  extensively  on  the  latter  day. 

On  May  Eve  they  pull  bunches  of  the  "  May  flower  "  (King  cup,  or 
Marsh  Marigold,  Caltha  palustris),  and  put  them  over  the  doors  of 
their  houses.  Also  on  May  Eve  the  boys  and  girls  cut  out  a  square  sod 
in  which  grows  a  "  Yarrow  "  (Millfoil,  Achillea  mil  I  folium),  and  put  it 
under  their  pillow;  if  they  have  not  spoken  between  the  time  of  cutting 
the  sod  and  going  to  sleep  they  will  dream  of  their  sweetheart.  The 
sod  ought  to  be  of  a  certain  size,  but  what  that  size  should  be  seems 


NOTES  AND  QUERIES.  91 

uncertain.  This  custom  is  said  to  have  been  introduced  into  the 
country  by  the  Scotch  settlers.  G.  H.  Kinahan. 

Proverbial  Rhymes  from  the  North  of  Fife:— 

"  A  reeky  house, 
An'  a  girnin  man, 
Are  sure  to  mak' 
A  puir  thing  wan." 

The  next  was  uttered,  in  the  end  of  the  last  century,  by  a  co-heiress 

when  urged  to  sell  her  patrimonial  property: — 

*'  Bawbees  are  round, 
And  rin  away.  * 

A  grip  o'  the  grand 
Is  gude  to  hae." 

The  following,  which  was  told  me  by  one  still  jalive,  embodies  a 

proverb  which  I  never  heard  before.     "  I  met  ■ .     He  came  up 

smiling.  As  he  usually  passes  without  recognition  I  saw  that  *  he 
had  an  axe  to  grind.'  An  operation  that  requires  two.  He  had  a 
favour  to  ask."  Alex.  Laing. 

Newburgh-on-Tay. 

Changelings  in  Ireland. — I  think  the  following  extract  from  the 
Irish  Fireside  for  January  7,  1884  (p.  464),  is  worth  preserving  in 
the  Folk-Lore  Journal : — "  On  page  374,  column  3,  paragraph  8,  of 
the  Fireside  for  December  10,  it  is  stated  that  the  poor,  dreadful 
banshee,  to  the  philosophical  mind,  is  a  fraud.  Are  not  the  fairies 
some  of  the  fallen  angels,  who,  for  consenting  to  take  part  with  the 
rebel  archangel,  were  cast  out  of  heaven  ;  but  not  sent  to  hell  as  the 
more  guilty  of  the  rebel  hosts  were,  but  were  permitted  to  alight  and 
remain  on  earth  ?  Is  it  not  they  that  sometimes  seized  and  carried 
off,  and  detained  for  years,  persons,  sometimes  children,  sometimes 
adults  ?     I  will  narrate  a  case  in  point — a  case  which  occurred  about 

fifteen  years   ago  in  the  parish  of  .     A  boy  was  taken  away 

by  the  invisible  beings,  and  one  of  themselves  left  instead.     The  late 

P.  P.  of (Father )  came  forward,  and  by  the  exercise 

of  that  power  which  Christ  left  to  his  apostles  and  their  successors 
when  He  said,  *  Those  who  believe  in  Me,  those  signs  follow  in  My 
name.  They  shall  speak  with  new  tongues,  they  shall  cast  out  devils, 
they  shall  lay  hands  upon  the  sick,  and  they  shall  be  whole  ; '  not- 


92  NOTES  AND  QUERIES. 

withstanding  that  many  pretended  reformers  say  miracles  are  false 
because  they  have  never  been  able  to  do  any  in  confirmation  of  their 
errors,  as  Moses  and  Joshua,  and  others  mentioned  in  Holy  Writ  had 
done, — he  caused  the  elf  to  disappear,  and  the  boy  to  come  forward,  in 
order  to  know  the  conditions  on  which  he  was  to  be  restored  to  his 
family.  The  conditions  being  told,  the  boy  had  to  return  to  his 
invisible  captivity,  the  elf  again  taking  his  place  in  his  father's  house 
until  they  would  be  fulfilled.  The  first  condition  was — To  dip  the  elf 
three  times  in  Lough  Lane  (a  small  lake  in  the  eastern  part  of  West- 
meath),  which  being  done,  a  curl  came  on  the  water,  and  up  from  the 
deep  came  the  naked  fonn  of  the  boy,  who  walked  on  the  water  to  his 
father  on  shore.  The  father  wrapped  his  overcoat  about  his  son,  and 
commenced  his  homeward  march,  accompanied  by  a  line  of  soldiers, 
who  also  came  out  of  the  lake.  The  boy's  mother  was  enjoined  not 
to  speak  until  the  rescuing  party  would  reach  home.  She  accidentally 
spoke,  and  immediately  the  son  dropped  a  tear,  and  forced  himself 
out  of  his  father's  amis,  piteously  exclaiming  — *  Father,  father,  my 
mother  spoke.  You  cannot  keep  me.  I  must  go.'  He  disappeared, 
and,  reaching  home,  his  father  found  the  sprite  again  on  the  hearth. 

Father came  again  for  the  second  time.     The  boy  was  brought 

forward  for  a  similar  purpose.  Mostly  the  same  performances  were 
required,  and  the  same  phenomena  occurred.  But  this  time  the  mother 
kept  a  profound  silence.  At  every  stream  crossed  on  the  way  home 
from  Lough  Lane,  the  car  on  which  the  boy  was  carried  was  upset, 
and  himself  fainted.  He  was  safely  restored  to  his  family.  He  had 
during  his  few  months  of  preternatural  exile  acquired  some  extra- 
ordinary knowledge  of  several  things.  He  has  since  grown  to  man- 
hood, and  was,  for  delivering  some  Land  League  harangues,  one  of 
the  suspects  arrested  under  Mr.  Forster's  warrant." 

James  Britten. 
Sleeping  North  and  South. — ''A  correspondent  called  attention 
in  our  last  week's  issue  to  the  scientific  confirmation  that  had  been 
given  to  the  custom  mentioned  in  Jewish  writings  of  sleeping  north 
and  south.  This,  or  a  similar  custom,  is,  however,  by  no  means  so 
limited  in  area  as  our  correspondent  seems  to  think.  The  Hindoos 
believe  that  *  to   sleep  with  the  head  to  the  north  will  cause  one's 


NOTES  AND  QUERIES.  93 

days  to  be  shortened,  to  the  south  will  bring  longevity.'  Notions  of 
this  char.acter  are  spread  over  the  folk-lore  of  many  parts  of  England 
and  Germany.  A  physician  who  died  at  Magdeburg,  at  the  advanced 
age  of  109,  states  in  his  will  the  manner  in  which  he  preserved  his 
life.  '  Assume,'  he  said,  '  as  often  as  convenient,  and  especially 
during  the  hours  of  sleep,  the  horizontal  position  :  the  head  towards 
the  North  Pole,  and  the  rest  of  the  body  in  a  direction  as  much  as 
possible  that  of  the  meridian.  By  this  means  the  magnetic  currents 
which  pervade  the  surface  of  the  globe  keep  up  a  regular  and  normal 
kind  of  nutrition  of  the  mass  of  iron  contained  in  the  economy ;  and 
hence  arises  the  increase  of  vital  principle  which  regulates  all  the 
organic  phenomena  having  a  direct  action  on  the  preservation  of 
life.' — Lancet^  March  3,  1866.  Notes  and  Queries,  Dec.  3,  1870. 
A  quarter  of  a  century  before  this  date,  however,  a  system  of 
"  Odylic  Force,"  or  the  "  Old  Force,"  had  been  introduced  by  Dr. 
Reiclienbach,  the  leading  idea  of  which  was  identical  with  the  fore- 
going. A  Dr.  Rogers  asserts  that  "when  he  had  failed  by  every 
otlier  prescription  to  bring  sleep  to  invalid  children,  he  recommended 
their  couches  or  little  beds  to  be  turned  due  north  and  south,  the  head 
of  the  child  being  placed  towards  the  north.  He  had  never  failed  by 
this  process  to  induce  sleep."  These  facts,  whether  scientifically 
accurate  or  not,  will  suffice  to  prove  that  this  particular  position  in 
sleeping  was  commonly  regarded  as  the  most  favourable  one  possible. 
We  think  that  many  customs  of  this  kind,  which  are  sometimes  con- 
sidered as  mere  superstitions,  may  be  traced  to  some  underlying  truth 
which  affords  a  more  or  less  sufficient  justification  for  them." — Jewish 
Chronicle,  Sept.  28,  1883.  D'Arcy  Power. 

Folk  Tales. — In  a  very  instructive  and  interesting  little  Roman 
Catholic  book,  entitled  Books  for  Children  and  Young  Fersonsy 
book  X.  "  The  Sight  of  Hell,"  by  the  Rev.  J.  J.  Furniss,  C.S.S.R. 
(p.  24),  I  find  the  following  curious  variant  of  a  well-known  folk  tale: 
"  A  Measure. — A  Bird. — We  can  measure  almost  anything.  We 
can  measure  a  field  or  a  road.  We  can  measure  the  earth.  We  can 
measure  how  far  it  is  from  the  earth  to  the  sun.  Only  one  thing  there 
is  which  never  has  and  never  will  be  measured,  and  that  is  Eternity  — 
for  ever ! 


94  NOTES  AND  QUEKIES. 

"  Think  of  a  great  solid  iron  ball,  larger  than  the  heavens  and  the 
earth.  A  bird  conies  once  in  a  hundred  millions  of  years  and  just 
touches  the  great  iron  ball  with  a  feather  of  its  wing.  Think  that 
you  have  to  burn  in  a  fire  till  the  bird  has  worn  the  great  iron  ball 
away  with  its  feather.     Is  this  Eternity  ?     No."         John  Fenton. 

A  German  Folk-lore  Expression. — The  following  proverbial  saying, 
the  source  of  which  puzzled  even  a  Jacob  Grimm,  may  claim  your 
readers'  attention:  ^^Jemanden  ill's  Bockshoi'Ji  jagen" ;  lit.,  to  drive 
some  one  into  the  he-goat's  horn,  i.e.,  to  intimidate  him.  Grimm 
thinks  this  phrase  must  have  originated  far  more  remotely  than  it 
has  now  been  traced.  He  quotes  the  corresponding  Kussian  phrase, 
"  Sog?nst'  kogo  v'  haranii  rog^^  i.e.,  to  drive  some  one  into  the  ram's- 
horn,  which  he  suggests  may  have  been  borrowed  {y.  Deuisches  Wor- 
terbuch,  ii.  208).  Since  I  find,  however,  a  peculiar  superstition  con- 
nected with  this  Slavonic  expression,  viz.,  that  wicked  beings  are 
conjured  by  it,  as  by  a  charm  or  incantation,  to  be  transformed  and  to 
disappear  (v.  Slavisches  Archiv,  ed.  Jagic,  vii.  509),  the  Russian 
saying,  it  seems  to  me,  must  have  an  origin  of  its  own,  perhaps 
anterior  to  the  German.  H.  Krebs. 

Oxford. 

Roumanian  Ch&Tms.— Against  Tooth-ache.-^^ii  beside  an  ant-hill, 
masticate  a  crust  of  black  bread,  spit  it  out,  and  over  the  ant-hill  ;  as 
the  ants  eat  the  bread,  the  tooth-ache  will  cease. — Against  Quinsy. — 
At  midnight,  and  when  the  moon  is  increasing,  go  out,  put  yourself  to 
the  left  of  the  moon,  gaze  fully  on  it,  and  at  the  same  time  rub  the 
throat  sharply,  and  repeat  three  times,  **  In  the  name  of  the  Father, 
and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  Amen;"  then  go  away  in 
silence,  and  say  nothing  to  any  one. — Speedy  Cure  for  a  Wound. — 
Take  the  instrument  which  was  the  cause  of  the  wound,  plunge  it  into 
a  piece  of  bacon,  and  let  it  remain  there  until  the  wound  is  healed, 
which  will  come  to  pass  very  shortly.  E.  B.  Mawer. 

Charm  for  Toothache. — The  following  is  a  variant  of  the  Irish 
charm  for  toothache  given  in  vol.  ii.  p.  33  : 

Upwards  of  sixty  years  ago  a  woman,  at  Looe,  in  south-east  Cornwall, 
complained  to  a  neighbouring  woman  that  she  was  suffering  from 
toothache,  on  which  the  neighbour  remarked  that  she  could  give  a 


NOTICES  AND  NEWS.  95 

clianii  of  undoubted  efficacy.  It  was  to  be  in  writing,  and  worn 
constantly  about  the  person  ;  but,  unfortunately,  it  would  be  valueless 
if  the  giver  and  receiver  were  of  the  same  sex.  This  difficulty  was 
obviated  by  calling  in  my  services,  and  requesting  me  to  write  from 
dictation  the  following  words  : — 

"  Peter  sat  in  the  gate  of  Jerusalem.  Jesus  cometh  unto  him  and 
saith,  '  Peter,  what  aileth  thee  ?  '  He  saith,  '  Lord,  I  am  grievously 
tormented  with  the  toothache.'  He  saith,  '  Arise,  Peter,  and  follow 
me.'  He  did  so,  and  immediately  the  toothache  left  him ;  and  he 
followed  him  in  the  name  of  the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and  of  the 
Holy  Ghost." 

The  charm,  being  found  to  be  correctly  written,  was  held  to  have 

been  presented  to  me  by  the  dictator.      I  at   once  gave  it  to  the 

sufferer,  who  placed  it  in  a  small  bag  and  wore  it  round  her  neck. 

Wm.  Pengelly. 
Torquay,  Feb.  1, 1884. 


NOTICES  AND  NEWS. 

In  the  last  session  of  the  fifth  section  of  the  Congress  of  Orientalists, 
held  at  Leyden  in  Holland  in  September  last,  the  subject  of  the  best 
mode  of  preserving  and  publishing  the  proverbial  literature  and  folk- 
lore of  the  East  was  brought  before  the  members  by  the  Reverend  James 
Long,  a  Member  of  the  Royal  Asiatic  Society,  formerly  Clergyman 
at  Calcutta,  now  residing  in  London.  At  his  proposal  the  following 
resolution  was  passed: — "That  the  collection,  interpretation,  and 
publication  of  the  proverbial  literature,  songs,  and  folk-lore  of  the  East 
is  urgent  at  the  present  time,  when  Oriental  society  is  in  a  transition 
state.  This  proverbial  literature,  handed  down  from  remote  ages 
through  the  memory  of  the  people,  elucidates  in  many  points  the 
social  conditions,  feelings,  and  opinions  of  the  masses,  besides  throwing 
light  on  various  questions  of  philology,  archaBology,  and  history.  The 
rescuing  from  oblivion  of  those  Eastern  traditions  can  best  be  carried 


96  KOTlCIiS  AND  NEWS. 

out  by  a  Committee  drawing  up  a  circular  on  the  above  basis,  to  be 
transmitted  to  learned  Societies  in  Holland,  England,  France  and 
Russia,  in  order  that  they  may  refer  them  in  the  East  to  Oriental 
societies,  schoolmasters,  editors  of  newspapers  and  periodicals,  and 
Christian  missionaries."  The  Eoyal  Colonial  Institute  of  the  Hague 
has  resolved  to  carry  out  the  plan  with  respect  to  the  Dutch  colonies 
in  the  East  by  forwarding  the  above  resolution,  with  a  request  that 
replies  be  sent  to  the  Batavian  Society  of  Arts  and  Sciences  at 
Batavia. 

The  Sixth  Report  of  the  Committee  on  Devonshire  Folk-Lore  has  just 
reached  us.  It  contains  among  other  items  cure  for  red  milk  in  cows, 
cure  for  warts,  cure  for  udder-ill,  cure  for  stye-in-the-eye,  erysipelas 
charm,  cure  for  whooping-cough,  cure  for  bites  of  snakes,  witchcraft, 
Millbrook  May-day  ship,  popular  beliefs  and  sayings,  waning  of  the 
moon. 

The  Countess  Martinengo  Cesaresco  has  forwarded  for  distribution 
a  few  copies  of  a  paper  she  has  reprinted,  *'  La  Canzonetta  della 
Sumaca."  Mr.  Gomme  will  be  glad  to  forward  one  to  any  member 
desiring  it. 

Mr.  Kaarle  Krohn,  the  son  of  Dr.  Krohn,  of  Wasa,  is  now  travelling 
in  the  Baltic  provinces  of  Russia,  collecting  the  folk-lore  of  the 
Esthonian  and  Lettish  population. 

The  firm  of  Henninger,  of  Heilbronn,  announce  a  second  series  of 
KpvTTTabia,  to  be  issued  by  subscription  in  an  edition  of  only  135 
copies,  at  the  price  of  twenty  marks. 

Dr.  Ludwig-Fritze,  of  Drossen,  has  published,  with  Schulze,  of 
Leipzig,  a  new  translation  into  German  of  Pantschatantra,  which  has, 
says  the  Academy^  at  least  the  merit  of  being  written  in  a  most 
polished  literary  style.  We  believe  that  Benfey's  version  (1859)  has 
now  become  quite  a  rare  book. 

A  meeting  of  the  Society  was  held  at  the  rooms  of  the  Asiatic 
Society,  22,  Albemarle  Street,  on  January  25,  Mr.  W.  R.  S.  Ralston, 
V.P.,  in  the  chair.  Mr.  Rhys  Davids  gave  a  paper  on  "  The  oldest 
collection  of  folk-lore  extant" — the  Buddhist  Jatakas.  As  Mr. 
Davids  kindly  promises  to  send  a  transcript  of  his  communication  for 
publication,  we  shall  not  give  here  the  usual  summary. 


SZEKELY  FOLK-MEDICINE, 

[Founded  upon  F.  Kozma's  Inaugural  Address,  given  before  the  Hungarian 
Academy  of  Science  (May  8,  1882),  entitled,  "  Mythological  Elements  in 
Szckely  Folk-Lore  and  Folk-Life."] 


HERE  are  about  forty  different  diseases  which  are  known 
by  their  popular  names  among  the  people.     Any  other 
disease,  the  name  of  which  is  not  known,  is  simply  called 
<'  a  heavy  illness "  or  "  a  great  illness "  {nyavalya  in 
Hungarian). 

According  to  their  origin,  the  diseases  may  be  grouped  under  two 
heads,  viz.  those  which  are  contracted  in  a  natural  way,  and  those 
the  origin  of  which  is  attributed  to  some  superstitious  cause.  To 
the  latter  group  belong,  for  instance,  madness  and  its  various  symp- 
toms (the  patient  is  said  to  have  been  "deceived"  or  "tempted  by 
the  spirits  "),  and  the  illness  is  brought  on  by  the  evil  spirit  having 
possessed  the  patient ;  lunacy  (=  somnambulism  under  the  influence 
of  the  moon),  the  patient  is  carried  off  by  goblins  or  "  white  women," 
who  make  him  dance  every  night;  convulsions  are  also  the  doings  of 
the  evil  spirit;  some  boils  originate  by  the  person  stepping  on  to  a 
place  where  a  horse  has  been  lying,  or  also  by  his  walking  into  **  out- 
pourings "  (where  a  liquid  or  some  decoction  of  seeds  has  been  poured 
out  amidst  witchcraft  ceremonies) ;  *  wens  are  caused  by  trying  to 
count  the  number  of  the  stars,  &c.t 

*  See  description  of  cure  by  pouring  out  water. 

t  One  day  as  I  (translator)  was  travelling  on  the  Northern  Railway  in  Hun- 
gary, I  noticed  a  woman  who  had  cancer  in  the  face.  On  mentioning  this  fact 
later  on  to  an  elderly  lady,  I  indicated  the  spot  on  my  own  face,  and  drew  an 
outline  of  the  shape  of  the  cancer.  The  old  lady  was  very  much  shocked,  and 
informed  me  that  it  was  an  exceedingly  unlucky  thing  to  do,  as  by  so  doing  I 
myself  ran  the  risk  of  being  similarly  afEected  in  exactly  the  same  spot. — (L.L.K.) 

Vol.  2.— Part  4.  h 


•J8  SZEKELY  FOLK-xMEDlCINE. 

Ill  treating  the  different  diseases  either  natural  means  are  employed 
or  charms  are  resorted  to.  Among  the  former  the  most  prominent 
place  is  occupied  by  the  deadly  nightshade  (atrojja  belladonna),  which 
being  a  very  poNverful  di'ug  naturally  commends  itself  to  general  use. 
The  other  drugs  most  frequently  used  are :  lovage  {ligusticum), 
common  birthwort  (aristolochia  clematitis),  henbane  seed  {hyosciamu$\ 
root  of  adder's  tongue  (ophioglossuin),  thorn-apple  (jilatura),  goose- 
foot  {chenopodium  liyhridum),  flixweed*  (^sisymhrium  so/jAm),  celandine 
(cheltdonium  majus),  bear's-foot  (hellehorus),  yarrow  (achillea  mille- 
folium), plantain  or  rib-grass  (plantago),  fruit  of  dwarf-elder  {sambucus 
ebulus),  burdock  (the  kind  known  as  lappa  major)  ;  also,  linseed,  the 
bark  or  blossom  of  various  trees,  horse-radish,  capsicum,f  pepper, 
"  spice,"  cloves,  aniseed,  onion,  garlic,  &c.,  from  among  the  products 
of  the  vegetable  kingdom. 

These  drugs  are  used  in  preparing  the  various  ointments,  lotions, 
or  baths,  or  are  taken  internally  according  to  the  nature  of  the 
complaint ;  when  taken  internally  they  are  invariably,  or  with  very 
few  exceptions,  administered  in  wine  or  spirits.  Our  **  doctors " 
very  seldom  prescribe  anything  made  up  of  purely  mineral  ingredients. 
Their  pharmacopoeia,  however,  includes  incense,  "  almanach-tincture," 
"nothing,"  tar,  gunpowder,|  brimstone,  vinegar,  and  ashes, §  all  of 
which  are  used  in  small  doses,  in  making  up  the  different  kinds  of 
ointments.  The  only  medicaments  taken  from  the  animal  kingdom  are, 
perhaps  :  wolfs  fl.esh,  fowl's  eggs,  the  outer  skin  of  the  hen's  gizzard, 
the  white  foeces  of  the  dog,  the  black  excrements  of  the  pig,  and  the 
ears  of  the  rat.||     These  are  taken  internally,  as  a  rule. 

Some   of  these   medicaments   are  quite   harmless,    but   when   the 

♦  The  Magyar  name  means  *'  wound-healing  leaf,"  in  all  probability  the  same 
as  the  "  wound-healing  grass  "  in  popular  tales.  See  "  Knight  Rose  "  in  Kriza's 
Collection. 

t  Capsicum  powder  Qpaprika)  figures  on  every  dinner-table  in  Hungary 
instead  of  pepper,  and  also  plays  the  same  part  in  Hungarian  cookery  as  curry 
does  in  India. 

X  A  mixture  of  gunpowder  and  spirits  is  also  prescribed  internally  for  ague. 

§  The  kinds  of  fuel  mostly  used  are  wood,  turf,  moss,  and,  on  the  Hungarian 
lowlands,  cow-dung. 

II  Live  guinea-pigs  are  said  to  abstract  rheumatism  if  kept  in  the  same  room 
with  the  sufferer.— (Budapest.) 


SZEKELY  FOLK-MEDICINE.  99 

prescription  runs  as  follows :  "  take  9  half-prunes  and  in  each  D  cap- 
sicum seeds,  99  (sic)  capsicum  seeds  in  all";  or,  "9  peppercorns, 
some  spice  and  cloves,  all  pounded  together,  and  mixed  with  half  a 
quart  of  spirits,"  or,  "  a  corresponding  quantity  of  capsicum  powder 
and  white  pepper  in  a  quart  of  wine,  and  drink  the  lot,  when  the 
intermittent  fever  begins  to  torment  you  " ; — one  cannot  help  shud- 
dering when  contemplating  the  overpowering  effect  which  the  above 
compounds  must  produce,  and  may  feel  inclined  to  "prefer  the  evil 
to  the  cure."  And  what  must  we  think  of  the  use  of  poisonous  plants? 
There  is  one  recipe  which  is  as  follows  : — "  Put  a  spoonful  of  hyoscia- 
mus  seed  into  boiling  water,  cover  your  head  with  a  table-cloth,  and 
inhale  the  vapour  on  to  your  aching  tooth."  *  Or,  '*  make  the  insane 
person  take  in  wine  a  mixture  composed  of  atropa  belladonna,  ligus- 
ticum  root,  garlic  and  black  excrementa  of  a  pig,  for  nine  consecu- 
tive days,  bathing  the  patient  in  a  bath  prepared  with  the  same  mix- 
ture, and  fumigate  him  after  each  bath  with  the  fumes  of  the  same 
ingredients  !"  You  will  agree  with  me  when  I  maintain  that  all 
these  cures  are  as  many  attempts  against  human  life  ! 

The  number  of  these  "  doctors  " — "  doctoring  men  or  women  '  or 
"  learned  men  or  women,"  as  they  are  called — is  very  considerable  per 
county  or  even  per  village. 

One  of  their  number  is,  perhaps,  famous  for  his  or  her  treatment  of 
a  cei-tain  disease,  while  another  may  have  a  reputation  for  curing 
another  kind  of  ailment.  Such  a  qualification  constitutes  a  never- 
failing  source  of  revenue,  and  sometimes  an  heirloom  in  the  family, 
who  naturally  keep  their  knowledge  the  greatest  secret.  This  very 
secrecy  forms  a  most  serious  impediment  to  the  student  of  folk-medicine. 
In  order  to  lessen  the  danger  of  losing  such  revenue  by  the  secret  being 
found  out,  the  real  fact  of  the  matter  is  often  enveloped  in  meaning- 
less ceremonies.  For  instance,  the  gathering  of  the  roots  of  the  highly- 
valued  atropa  belladonna  is  not  of  everyday  importance.  The  digging 
for  these  roots  can  only  be  carried  on  between  the  two  St.  George's  days, 
and  then  only  by  the  person  who  does  the  collecting  stripping  himself 
of  all  his  clothes  and  by  using  certain  charms  and  mumbling  some 

♦  I  have  seen  this  done  in  Yorkshire. — (W.H.J.) 

h2 


100  8Z]^KELY  FOLK-MEDICINE. 

mysterious  words.  Woe  to  him  who  undertakes  the  task  without  such 
preparation,  because  either  the  devils  will  carry  him  off,  or  the  trees  of 
the  forest  will  fall  on  him  and  kill  him.  I  have  been  fortunate  enough 
to  find  out  one  of  these  secrets.  A  peppercorn,  some  spice,  and  a  little 
salt,  have  to  be  put  into  a  small  piece  of  bread-crumb,  all  kneaded 
together  and  buried  in  the  hole  from  which  the  root  has  been  extracted, 
in  order  to  satisfy  the  devil ;  and  at  the  same  time  the  Lord's  Prayer 
and  the  Creed  must  be  mumbled  over  once.  It  is  not  allowed  to  speak 
a  single  word  to  anybody  on  the  way  there  or  back  or  during  the 
gathering  itself.  This,  of  course,  is  a  precaution  against  eventual 
molestation  or  inconvenient  questioning  by  troublesome  inquirers. 

In  many  cases  the  preparation  of  the  drug  is  also  carried  out  amidst 
similar  mysterious  and  inexplicable  magic  words  and  the  application 
tied  to  strict  outer  formalities.  For  instance,  if  the  medicine  is  a 
liquid  the  doctor  makes  with  his  hand  the  sign  of  the  cross  over  the 
vessel  containing  the  healing  fluid ;  and,  dipping  his  fingers  into  it, 
sprinkles  some  of  it  on  the  ground,  in  order  to  let  the  devil,  too,  have 
his  share.  The  water  in  which  a  patient  has  been  bathed  is  to  be 
poured  into  a  running  stream,  before  sunrise,  in  the  direction  of  the 
flow  of  the  water,  and  nobody  must  be  spoken  to  on  the  road ;  nor  is  it 
allowed  to  look  back. 

To  the  natural  medicaments  belong  also  the  local  medicinal  waters 
that  are  used  by  the  people  and  some  fresh-water  springs,  the  latter 
being  used  for  diseases  of  the  eye.  The  afiected  eye  is  to  be  bathed 
with  these  waters,  always  before  sunrise.  The  water  drawn  from 
a  well  on  the  first  day  of  March  before  sunrise  is  said  to  possess 
universal  healing  power ;  many  people,  therefore,  keep  a  supply  of  it, 
as  much  as  will  last  them  a  whole  year,  in  a  closed  vessel  in  the 
house.*  Our  popular  tales,  too,  mention  the  miraculous  spring  which 
makes  hands,  that  have  been  cut  ofi*,  grow  again.  And  if  cripples  roll 
in  the  dewy  grass  of  the  meadow  on  a  Friday  night  which  coincides 
with  the  new  moon,  or  if  the  blind  wash  their  eyes  with  the  dew,  the 
maimed  limbs  of  the  former  and  the  eye-sight  of  the  latter  will  be 

♦  The  water  obtained  by  melting  snow  collected  in  the  month  of  March  is 
said  to  have  a  beautifying  effect  on  the  skin,  and  is  largely  used  for  freckles. — 
(Budapest.) 


SZ^KELY  FOLK-MEDICINE.  lOl 

restored  again.  {See  "  The  Journey  of  Truth  and  Falsehood  "  and  "  The 
Envious  Sisters  "  in  Kriza's  Collection.) 

All  these  outer  formalities  which  accompany  such  magic  cures  show 
an  uninterrupted  connection  with  religion.  The  performance  begins  in 
the  name  of  the  Deity,  and  while  it  lasts  it  is  strictly  forbidden  to 
utter  a  single  word  of  blasphemy ;  on  the  contrary,  prayers  have  to  be 
murmured,  and  the  adverse  influence  of  the  devil  has  to  be  counter- 
acted by  some  adequate  means.  All  these  facts  clearly  point  to  that 
epoch  of  our  old  heathen  religion  when  the  cure  of  the  sick  was  the 
sacred  occupation  of  our  tatos  *  priests. 

The  people,  not  being  able  to  explain  the  origin  of  some  diseases, 
or  ascribing  them  directly  to  some  superstitious  cause,  as  a  matter 
of  course  resort  to  a  treatment  which  is  similarly  based  on  super- 
stition,! and  thus  we  have  arrived  at  the  second  group  of  cures,  viz. 
charms. 

There  are  several  kinds  of  these,  of  which  the  following  may  be 
enumerated  here : — 

Lead-casting. — This  cure  is  used  for  frenzy.  A  dish  full  of  water 
is  placed  on  the  patient's  back  and  a  piece  of  molten  lead  of  about  the 
size  of  an  eg^  is  poured  into  the  water,  a  short  prayer  being  recited, 
which  may  run  as  follows :  '*  My  Lord,  my  God,  take  the  frenzy  out 
of  this  person's  heart !  "  If  the  disease  be  of  a  graver  character,  the 
casting  of  the  lead  is  repeated  nine  times  ;  if  less  serious,  five  times 
only,  and  the  dish  with  the  water  therein  placed  each  time  on  a 
different  part  of  the  body.  The  various  forms  which  the  lead  takes  as 
it  solidifies  will  indicate  whether  a  man,  a  dog,  or  a  creature  having 
wings  has  caused  the  fright.  When  the  final  cast  takes  place  they 
draw  a  cross  \  on  the  ground,  and  placing  the  dish  on  this  sign  they 


*  Name  of  the  heathen  priests  of  the  old  Magyars. 

f  It  has  been  mentioned  how  wens  or  warts  originate.  They  are  cured  by 
touching  them  with  a  piece  of  raw  meat,  which  afterwards  is  to  be  tied  up  in  a 
rag  and  buried  in  the  gutter  formed  by  the  water  dropping  from  the  eaves.  As 
the  meat  rots  the  warts  gradually  disappear. — (Budapest.) 

X  "  The  popular  superstition  holds  that  the  witches,  or  any  evil  spirit  in  gene- 
ral, have  no  power  on  a  cross-road.  The  case  hence  has  occurred  that  patients 
who  have  succumbed  to  the  torments  of  the  evil  spirit  have  been  buried  in  graves 
clug  at  the  meeting  of  two  cross-roads  in  order  to  deliver  them  of  their  persecu- 


102  SZ^KELY  FOLK-MEDICINE. 

profess  to  pour  the  molten  lead  on  those  who  are  impure,  saying  the 
words,  "  This  is  not  thine,  this  is  somebody  else's." 

Pouring  out  water. — This  cure  is  used  against  enchantment.  The 
sign  of  the  cross  is  made  by  hand,  and  a  tumbler  full  of  water 
is  placed  thereon  ;  a  glowing  cinder,  broken  into  three  pieces,  is 
thrown  into  the  water  with  some  such  formulas  as  this:  "  Blue  eyes, 
black  eyes.  I  will  wash  it  with  water  by  hand.  If  the  cause  of 
the  spell  be  a  man,  may  his  buttock  burst ;  if  it  be  a  woman,  then 
may  her  breast  break  out."  Then  they  blow  three  times  the  sign  of 
the  cross  over  the  tumbler,  and  make  the  patient  drink  some  of 
the  water,  also  three  times  ;  they  then  wash  with  the  water  his  spine, 
forehead,  nose,  the  soles  of  his  feet,  and  the  palms  of  his  hands  ;  and 
if  in  the  daytime  the  remainder  of  the  water  is  thrown  on  the  eaves, 
if  at  night  on  to  a  broom  standing  behind  the  house-door,  in  order  that 
nobody  shall  step  into  it,  because  if  anybody  stepped  into  such  "  out- 
pourings "  he  would  be  afflicted  with  some  skin  disease.  People  are 
particularly  careful  to  guard  little  children  from  enchantment,  and  it 
is  customary  in  order  to  counteract  the  spell  to  spit  *  on  the  child. 
("  Fie !  fie !  ugly  one  !  ")  The  power  of  enchantment  is  specially 
attributed  to  gipsy-women  and  men  whose  eyebrows  are  grown 
together.  If,  when  throwing  the  glowing  cinders  into  the  water,  two 
pieces  sink  to  the  bottom,  the  spell  comes  from  a  man ;  if  only  one, 
the  patient  has  been  bewitched  by  a  woman. 

The  enchantment  is  supposed  to  have  power  even  over  animals  or 
flowers  (Proverb  :  "  May  enchantment  seize  you  !  ")  It  is  against  the 
effects  of  such  a  spell  that  they  tie  a  red  ribbon  on  to  a  foal's  or  calf's 
neck,  and  for  the  same  purpose  that  they  draw  red  tassels  through  a 
lamb's  or  kid's  ears ;  this  also  explains  why  the  sprays  of  flowers  are 
hung  with  pieces  of  red  cloth  in  every  Szekely  house.  The  red  colour 
is  generally  considered  a  preventive  against  enchantment. 


tors,  at  least  after  death.  I  am  of  opinion  that  the  sign  of  the  cross,  so  generally 
used  at  cures  by  means  of  charms,  have  no  reference  whatever  to  the  sign  of 
Christianity,  but  refer  to  the  cross-road  of  mythology." — F.  Kozma,  at  another 
place  in  his  Inaugural  Address. 

*  To  spit  into  a  person's  face  is  considered  a  cure  for  stye  in  the  eye. — (Buda- 
pest.) 


SZT?.KELY  FOLK-MEDICINE.  103 


■  /ncanfa^/ow  is  specially  ueed  as  a  cure  for  maggots*  in  animals.  There 

are  several  formula,  of  which  the  following  may  be  mentioned  here  : — 
The  "  doctor  "  starts  off  with  a  hair  of  the  diseased  animal,  and  walks 
along  until  he  comes  to  a  dwarf-elder  (sambucus  ebulus)  bush,  from 
which  he  cuts  a  twig ;  he  splits  this  crossways,  places  the  hair  he 
brought  with  him  into  the  split,  and  facing  the  east  he  begins  thus  : 
"10  are  not  10,  9  are  not  9,  8  are  not  8,  .  .  .  ."  and  so  on  down  to  1. 
Then  he  plants  the  twig  into  the  ground  and  says,  "  May  John 
Smith's  two-year  old  white  sow  have  the  maggots  again  when  I  pull 
this  twig  out  of  the  ground,  fie !  fie !  "  (spits  on  it).  •'  May  the 
maggots  go  while  I  am  standing  here,  fie  !  fie  !  If  she  got  them  at 
sunrise,  may  sunset  not  find  them  here  !  If  she  got  them  at  sunset, 
may  they  be  gone  by  sunrise,  fie !  fie !  " 

The  practice  of  splitting  the  elder-spray  is  also  used  for  the  cure  of 
intermittent  fever  in  man.  The  patient  has  to  find  a  blackberry  bush 
which  has  three  branches  shooting  from  the  same  root.  He  must 
then  cut  a  twig  from  one  of  the  branches  and  walk  to  the  bank  of  a 
stream  before  sunrise,  where  he  has  to  stand  looking  up  stream  and 
say  the  words,  "  May  the  fever  seize  me  when  I  see  this  blackberry 
twig  again !  "  whereupon  he  has  to  throw  the  twig  over  his  head  back 
into  the  water. 

Another  incantation  formula  is  the  following  : — On  five  slips  of 
paper  write  a  formula  mentioning  the  patient's  name,  &c.  as  under : 
"  John  Smith,  of  Newport,  who  was  bom  on  January  10th,  1850, 
has  the  three-days'  fever.  I  *  admonish  '  you  herewith  that  if  by  the 
eighth  day  you  do  not  stop  his  fever,  I  will  bind  you,  dry  you,  and 
put  you  in  the  oven,  burn  you,  and  let  the  winds  blow  you  away." 
These  five  slips  of  paper  are  to  be  thrown,  one  by  one,  towards  the 
fire-place  for  five  consecutive  mornings,  and  to  be  burnt  in  the  fire 
on  the  eighth  day. 

Cases  of  sun-stroke  also  occur  sometimes,  and  it  is  then  said 
that  the  patient  "  has  a  blind  sun  in  the  head."  The  incantation 
in  this  case  is  carried  out  in  the  following  manner:  The  enchanter 
takes  a  pot  and  fills  it  with  water  taken  from  a  place  where  two 
streams  meet  and  scooped  in  the  direction  of  the  flow.     The  water 

*  The  larvae  of  a  fly  which  deposits  its  eggs  in  the  skins  of  animals. 


104  SZ^KELY  FOLK-MEDICINE. 

is  taken  home,  and  the  pot  placed  over  the  fire,  and  nine  balls  of 
oakum,  of  about  the  size  of  hazel-nuts,  and  nine  pieces  of  straw,  with 
knots  on  them,  thrown  into  the  water.  A  dish  is  then  placed  on 
the  patient's  head,  a  needle  thrown  into  it,  the  boiling-water  poured 
into  the  dish,  and  the  empty  pot  placed  into  it,  bottom  upwards, 
amidst  words  as  the  following  :  *'  White  sun,  red  sun,  green  sun,  blue 
sun,  yellow  sun,  black  sun !  Blind  sun !  get  out  of  this  person's 
head,  or  the  great  sun  will  overtake  you  on  the  road ! "  These  words 
have  to  be  repeated  nine  times,  and  then  the  Lord's  Prayer  said. 
Thereupon  the  water  is  made  boiling  hot  again,  and  the  whole  per- 
formance gone  through  nine  times,  the  whole  process  occupying  thus 
more  than  half  of  the  day.  Finally,  the  patient's  head  is  washed  in 
the  water,  and  the  water  that  remains  is  thrown  into  the  stream — in  the 
direction  of  the  flow— so  that  the  current  may  carry  oflf  the  disease. 
The  patient  then  has  to  get  up  every  day  before  sunrise  until  he  is 
recovered. 

In  the  case  of  a  person  suffering  from  hot-fever,  a  cure  known  as 
**  calling  out  the  disease  "  is  applied.  Some  person  belonging  to  the 
patient  has  to  strip  quite  naked,  of  an  evening,  and,  wrapped  into  a 
bed-sheet,  stand  outside  the  gate,  where  he  has  to  drop  the  sheet,  and 
call  out  in  a  loud  voice,  "  Let  the  whole  village  hear  it ;  let  it  be 
heard !  My  son  (or  brother,  father,  &c.)  is  writhing  with  hot-fever. 
Whoever  hears  me,  may  he  catch  the  disease!"  This  has  to  be 
repeated  three  times.*  The  calling-out  may  also  be  done  standing 
under  a  flue  or  under  the  hood  of  a  hearth. 

I  may  also  mention  a  few  kinds  of  the  lower  class  of  charms,  such 
as,  for  instance,  protecting  the  cow's  milk  against  wicked  women  or 
witches  by  fumigating  the  bam,  or  placing  garlic  and  "  Satan-shot 
grass  "  over  the  door  or  into  a  hole  in  the  threshold,  or  by  keeping 
a  horse -shoe  constantly  in  the  fire,  or  by  placing  on  one  of  the  beams 
a  piece  of  dough  made  with  woman's  milk  and  seven  different  kinds 
of  spice  mixed  into  it.  Weasels  are  kept  off  by  placing  a  distaff  in 
the  barn,  &c. 

♦  Influenza  can  be  got  rid  of  by  rubbing  the  nose  on  a  door-handle  and  calling 
out,  "  Whoever  will  be  first  to  touch  this  door-handle  may  he  get  my  cold." 
— (Budapest.) 


SZ^KELY  FOLK-MEDICINE.  105 

Formulae  are  used  also  in  these  cases ;  as,  for  instance,  when  they 
strew  millet  in  front  of  a  barn  they  say,  "  May  my  cow's  milk  be 
taken  away  when  this  millet  is  gathered  up  again."  The  passage  of 
goblins  can  be  stopped  by  besmearing  the  doors,  windows,  and  key- 
holes with  a  mixture  of  garlic,  incense,  and  pig's  excrements.  To 
guard  against  the  influence  of  the  fiend,  garlic  has  to  be  constantly 
carried  about  in  the  pocket.*  The  first  food  given  to  young  chickens 
has  to  be  passed  through  a  wolf's  throat ;  and  bees,  when  they  leave 
their  hives  for  the  first  time  in  the  spring,  have  also  to  pass  through 
a  wolf's  throat,  in  order  that  they  may  gain  strength  and  gather 
much  honey.  On  the  morning  of  New  Year's  day  the  cattle  must  be 
watered  from  off  a  silver  coin,  so  that  they  may  be  guarded  against  any 
mishap.  When  sowing  hemp  the  stockings  or  breeches  are  to  be 
fastened  high,  so  that  the  plants  may  grow  high.  By  walking  back- 
wards three  times  round  a  wheat-field  at  night-time  naked  the  wheat 
will  be  protected  against  a  plague  of  birds. 

There  are  innumerable  charms  to  be  found  for  every  condition  in 
life.  They  begin  with  the  children's  play,  as,  for  instance,  in  the  case 
of  a  game  similar  to  the  one  known  in  England  as  ^^egg  in  the  hole"  : 
the  child  guards  itself  against  its  playmate's  luck  by  making  a  cross  in 
front  of  his  hole,  and  saying,  "  Fie  !  roll  into  my  hole." 

It  is  my  impression  that  in  the  case  of  all  cures  by  charms  the 

outer  formalities,  as  they  are  used  now-a-days,  are  simply  the  remnants 

of  a  more  complicated  procedure ;  in  days  gone  by  they  constituted 

the  outer  cover,  the  purpose  of  which  was  to  distract  the  attention 

from  the  real  cure.     I  am  confirmed  in  this  view  by  the  fact  that 

some  sorcerers  apply  quick-lime  besides  the  blackberry- twig  for  the 

destruction  of  maggots  in  animals.     Others,  while  curing  intermittent 

fever  by  the  aid  of  the  five  paper  scraps  recommend  as  an  '^  auxiliary  " 

measure  that  the  patient  should  keep  a  strict  diet  during  the  eight 

days  which  are  occupied  by  the  cure. 

Wm.  Henry  Jones. 

Lewis  L.  Kropp. 
Thornton  Lodge,  Goxhill,  Hull. 

*  Horse-chestnuts  are  carried  about  in  the  pocket  as  a  preventive  against  dizzi- 
ness in  some  parts  of  Austria. 


HIPPIC  FOLK-LORE  FROM  THE  NORTH- 
EAST OF  SCOTLAND. 


HE  following  hippie  folk-wisdom  I  have  got  from  old 
people  in  the  parish,  and  they  tell  me  they  had  it  from 
old  folks,  so  that  its  age  cannot  be  less  than  a  century  : —  j 

"  Four  feet  fite  fell  'im ;  ; 
Three  feet  fite  sell  'im  ; 

Twa  feet  fite  gee  'im  t'  your  wife  ;  j 

Ae  fit  fite  keep  'im  a'  his  life."  \ 

Another  version  is  : — 

"  Four  fite  feet  fell  'im ; 

Three  fite  feet  sell  'im ;  ^ 

Twa  fite  feet  keep  'im  for  your  wife ;  1 

Ae  fite  fit  keep  'im  a'  his  life."  • 

A  third  version  is  : —  1 

"  Four  fite  feet  keep  'im  not  a  day  ;  j 

Three  fite  feet  sell  'im  in  (if)  you  may  ;  ' 

Twa  fite  feet  you  may  sell  'im  t'  your  breether  ;  J 

Ae  fite  fit  dinna  sell  'im  never."  -^ 

A  fourth  version  is  : —  Hi 

"  One  fite  fit  buy  *t ;  ^ 

Twa  fite  feet  try  't ;  ! 

Three  fite  feet  look  weel  aboot  it ; 
Four  fite  feet  gang  withoot  it." 

There  are  nine  points  in  a  good  horse.     You  will  find  three  of  them  j 

in  a  fox,  three  in  a  hare,  and  three  in  a  woman.     Like  the  fox  he 
must  be  deep-ribbit,  straight-backit,  and  bushy-tailt ;  like  the  hare,  i 

clean-limbt,  quick-eet,  and  prick-luggit  ;    and  like  a  woman,  weel- 
hippit,  weel-breastit,  and  easy-mountit. 


HIPPlC  FOLK-LORE  FROM  SCOTLAND.  107 

With  regard  to  the  management  of  the  horse  it  is  said  : — 

"  Up  the  hill  trot  me  not ; 
Doon  the  hill  gallop  me  not ; 
In  the  fair  road  spare  me  not ; 
In  the  stable  forget  me  not." 

There  is  another  and  a  somewhat  contradictory  version : — 

"  Up  hill  drive  me  not ; 
Doon  hill  spare  me  not ; 
In  the  stable  forget  me  not." 

With  regard  to  shoeing  it  is  said  :  -^ 

"  Place  a  bit  upo'  the  tae, 
T'  help  the  horse  t'  climb  the  brae ; 
Raise  the  cawker  i'  the  heel, 
T'  gar  the  horsie  trot  weel." 

To  this  may  be  added  the  following  proverbs,  familiar  to  me  from 
boyhood,  and  customs  told  me  by  Mr.  Duncan,  blacksmith,  who  has 
shared  in  the  festivities. 

He  hiz  nae  mehr  conscience  nor  a  cadger's  horse  ;  i.e.j  he  is  greedy, 
or  he  is  unscrupulous  in  asking  or  taking. 

A'll  gee  you  yer  com  afore  yer  water ;  spoken  as  a  threat  of  doing 
some  injury  to  one  who  has  offended  you. 

I  widd  (would)  raither  be  a  back-chain  wintin  grease  till  a  cadger's 
cairt. 

I  widd  raither  be  a  back-chain  till  a  cairt,  or  a  donkey  to  the  cairds 
(tinkers). 

I  widd  raither  be  a  back-chain  till  a  cairrier's  cairt  though  it  were 
aye  gyain  doon  hill ;  always  used  to  express  the  most  decided  refusal 
amounting  to  disgust. 

To  eat  like  a  horse  ;  said  of  one  who  eats  more  than  usual. 

To  sweat  like  a  horse  ;  i.e.,  to  perspire  profusely. 

As  hungry's  a  horse ;  spoken  of  one  having  a  good  appetite. 

A's  sicks  a  horse. 

He  (she)  hiz  the  stamak  o'  a  horse  ;  spoken  of  one  who  has  a 
strong  digestion. 

He's  (she)  a  perfect  horse. 

He's  (she)  as  strong's  a  horse. 


108  HIPPIO  POLK-LORB  PROM  SCOTLAND.  ^ 

To  work  like  a  horse.  I 

He's  nae  t'  ride  the  water  on;  e'.e.,  he  is  not  to  be  depended  on. 

It's  time  t'  steek  the  stable-door  fin  the  steed's  stow  en.  1 

Like  draws  t'  like'.  ^ 

Like  a  scabbit  horse  till  a  fehl  dyke. 

Shank's  mare,  or  marie. 

Shank's  naig  or  naigie  ;  i.e.y  the  legs ;  spoken  when  one  walks. 

Short  and  sweet  like  a  donkey's  gallop. 

That  widd  pooshion  a  horse  ;    spoken  of  any  disgusting  piece  of 

food,  or  disgusting  conduct  or  speech  in  a  person.  j 

That  widd  kill  a  horse ;  spoken  of  any  hard  work  done  by  a  person,  j 

or  used  when  one  eats  any  indigestible  kind  of  food.  i 

Ticht  graith  ;  applied  to  one  of  doubtful  or  bad  reputation.  , 

To  kick  up  the  heels  at  a  thing  ;  i.e.^  to  reject  a  thing.  i 
To  nicker  or  snicker ;  i.e.,  to  giggle,  to  laugh  in  a  silly  fashion. 
To  find  a  mare's  nest. 

To  ride  ahin  the  tail ;  i.e.,  to  be  thrown  from  a  horse.  i 
Corn  him  weel  afore  Candlemas'. 

Kaim  (comb)  weel  aifter.  ; 
Ca  canny  ;  a  phrase  spoken  to  enforce  caution. 

It's  the  hinmost  strae  it  bracks  the  horse's  back.  i 

The   horse  'ill  recreet  (recover)  o'   the  new   girs  (grass)  ;  spoken  ; 

ironically  to  signify  that  a  thing  will  not  take  place. 

The  smith's  mare's  aye  warst  shod.  3 

Drive  on,  the  beast's  borrawt.  l 

There's  muckle  riding  in  a  borrawt  beast.  '■ 

He's  ridin  as  gehn  (if)  he  were  gyain  for  the  howdie  (midwife).  ! 

It's  a  gueed  horse  it  never  snappers.  \ 

It's  easy  t'  traivel  fin  ye  lead  the  beast  b'  the  head.  ] 

To  ride  and  tie ;  spoken  of  two  riding  and  walking  alternately  on  a  ^ 

journey.  !i 

To  ride  at  laisure ;  applied  to  one  in  apparently  good  circumstances,  ] 

but  who  lives  in  a  way  not  warranted  by  his  circumstances.  '\ 

It's  lang  t'  the  saidlin  0'  a  foal.  i 

Some  of  the  foregoing  are  but  variants,  and  it  is  not  claimed  for  1 

them  that  they  are  not  known  otherwhere. 


h 


THE  WISE  CHOICE. 


109 


When  a  young  horse  received  his  first  set  of  shoes  there  was  always 
a  merry-making.  The  owner  went  to  the  smithy  with  his  pocket  lined 
with  a  bottle  of  whisky.  When  the  job  was  accomplished,  the  smith, 
with  all  in  the  workshop  at  the  time,  received  "  a  dram,"  and  some- 
times two. 

One  old  farmer  there  was  in  the  parish  of  Aberdour,  Aberdeenshire, 
who  would  not  allow  his  young  horses  off  the  farm  without  their  shoes. 
When  one  was  to  be  shod,  the  blacksmith  was  sent  for  to  measure 
the  animal's  feet.  He  returned  to  the  smithy,  and  made  the  shoes 
according  to  measurement.  He  then  went  to  the  farm,  carrying  the 
shoes  and  the  shoeing-tools,  and  shod  the  animal.  A  feast  was  then 
held,  when  the  best  produce  of  the  farm  was  spread,  as  well  as  a  fair 
quantity  of  whisky.  The  practice  of  partaking  of  whisky  on  the 
occasion  of  the  shoeing  of  a  horse  for  the  first  time  still  lingers. 

Walter  Gregor. 


THE  "WISE   CHOICE.' 


SSIHATEVER  may  be  the  ultimate  conclusion  as  to  the  homo- 
geneity of  classical  and  savage  myths,  it  is  unquestionable 
that  in  the  living  folk-lore  of  Aryan  and  non-Aryan  popu- 
lations there  exist  points  of  coincidence  that  are  very 
well  worth  observing.  The  more  we  know,  and  especially  the  more 
methodical  becomes  our  knowledge,  the  better  shall  we  be  able  to 
estimate  the  precise  value  and  significance  of  these  resemblances ;  at 
present  the  best  that  can  be  done  is  to  point  them  out  when  they 
occur,  and  to  leave  all  inference  to  a  time  that  shall  possess  fullei 
information. 

I  do  not  think  that  any  folk-lore  student  can  read  the  story  of  "  The 
old  man  and  his  three  sons,"  in  the  Rev.  James  Sibree's  valuable 
collection  of  Malagasy  Tales  (vide  Folk-Lore  Journal^  vol.  ii.  part  iii.) 


110  THE  WISE  CHOICE. 

without  being  put  in  mind  of  a  number  of  European  analogues.  The 
central  idea  of  the  story  is  that  of  a  wise  choice.  A  sou,  unjustly 
treated  at  home,  arrives  at  the  dwelling-place  of  God.  He  is  offered  a 
seat  of  honour  and  well-cooked  food,  but  he  seats  himself  among  the 
servants,  and  eats  of  the  servants'  food.  Then  he  is  offered  the  choice 
between  a  plant  and  money  ;  he  chooses  the  plant,  returns  home,  and 
becomes  very  rich.  His  more  favoured  brothers,  envying  his  pros- 
perity, go  also  to  the  dwelling-place  of  God,  where  they  take  the  best 
seats  and  the  best  food,  and  ask  for  all  manner  of  wealth  and  fine 
clothes,  with  the  result  that  they  go  back  with  tails  and  tusks  growing 
out  of  them. 

Compare  this  with  the  story  of  "Lu  Cusinille,"  in  Signor  Antonio 
de  Nino's  Usi  e  Costumi  Ahmzzesi  (Florence,  1883).  A  daughter, 
ill-treated  at  home,  arrives  at  the  palace  of  the  fairies  (fate).  She  is 
asked  if  she  will  enter  by  a  stair  of  gold  or  by  one  of  wood  ?  if  she 
will  go  into  a  room  gilded  over,  or  into  one  which  is  all  smoky  ?  She 
chooses  the  wooden  stairs  and  the  smoky  room  ;  but  the  fairies  lead 
her  by  the  golden  stair  into  the  gilded  room.  Then  the  head-fairy 
offers  her  a  shift  of  sackcloth  or  of  fine  linen,  a  petticoat  of  tow  or  of 
muslin,  a  bodice  of  common  stuff  or  of  silk,  two  sprigs  of  garlic  or 
two  pearl  ear-rings,  a  dozen  of  onions  or  a  gold  chain  ?  She  chooses 
the  inferior  objects,  saying  that  she  is  only  a  poor  girl,  but  gets  the 
more  valuable.  Then  she  goes  home,  and  her  stepmother  and  step- 
sister are  envious  of  her  good  fortune.  The  mother,  on  hearing  where 
she  has  been,  tells  her  daughter  to  go  and  do  likewise;  but  when  the 
fairies  make  their  offers,  this  girl  always  makes  choice  of  the  better 
things,  with  the  result  that  she  gets  the  worse,  and,  moreover,  returns 
to  her  house  with  an  ass's  tail  growing  out  of  her  forehead. 

The  motif  of  a  "  Wise  Choice  "  is  far-reaching,  but  I  will  not  here 
attempt  to  further  trace  its  ramifications.  I  may  mention  that  another 
variant  of  the  above  Italian  tale  appears  in  Tuscan  Fairy  Tales 
(London,  Satchel!  and  Co.),  where  it  is  entitled  *'  The  little  convent 
of  cats." 

Evelyn  Martinengo-Cksaresco. 


THE   FOLK-LORE  OF  DRAYTON. 


PART  I. — Drayton's  attitude  with  regard  to  Folk-Lore 
Romances — Ballads — Plants — Springs,  &c. 

F  all  the  geniuses  of  the  golden  Elizabethan  age,  who  had 
the  gift  of  seeing  fairy-folk,  and  of  entering  into  the 
humours  of  fairy-land,  none,  Shakespeare  alone  excepted, 
has  left  more  delightful  record  of  his  experience  than 
Shakespeare's  fellow-shireman,  Michael  Drayton.  It  was  a  happy 
influence  that  gave  two  such  sons  to  Warwickshire  within  something 
like  a  twelvemonth  of  each  other.  One  is  apt  to  wonder,  if,  in  the 
days  when  they  were  nurtured,  the  Heart  of  England  *  was  supremely 
true  to  all  traditions  of  the  elders,  and  passing  rich  in  store  of  old 
wives'  tales  of 

"  Goblins,  fairies,  bugs,  night-mares, 
Urchins  and  elves :" 

it  is  certain  that  the  Pierian  spring  at  which  both  poets  drank  deep, 
though  with  differing  capacity,  had  a  virtue  which  could  clear  the 
eyes  of  mortals  so  as  to  make  them  perceptive  of  the  elfin  world. 
Never  is  Drayton  more  at  home  than  when  he  is  among  the  fairies. 
Shakespeare,  with  his  unique  power  of  assimilation,  made  all  the 
knowledge  that  came  to  him  his  own,  and  used  it  as  though  it  were 
innate ;  but  Drayton  was  too  often  the  bloated  bookworm.  His 
wort-cunning,  his  unnatural  history,  his  mythical  mineralogy,  smell  of 
the  midnight  oil ;  but  his  fairy-lore,  wheresoever  he  picked  it  up, 
is  well-nigh  as  pure,  free,  and  unartificial  as  the  very  moonbeams 
themselves.     It  was  not,  however,  until  nearly  the  end  of  his  career 

*  Polyolhion,  xiii.  [iii.  913].  Here  and  hereafter  the  figures  within  brackets 
refer  to  volume  and  page  of  the  edition  of  The  Works  of  Michael  Drayton^  Esq. 
published  in  4  vols,  in  1753. 


112  THE  FOLK-LORE  OF  DRAYTON. 

that  he  made  friends  with  Nymphidia  ;  and  in  this  special  sifting  of 
his  works  we  shall  be  so  far  regardful  of  chronology  as  to  leave  the 
consideration  of  airy  nothings  and  their  local  habitation  until  after  we 
have  duly  gathered  out  and  examined  the  folk-lore  of  more  palpable 
things,  earlier  brought  under  the  notice  of  his  Muse. 

With  regard  to  Shakespeare's  scholastic  acquirements,  on  the 
actual  amount  of  his  "  small  Latin  and  less  Greek,"  there  is  much 
room  for  speculation,  but  I  believe  there  is  no  reason  to  doubt  that 
Drayton  had  "  a  good  classical  education,"  a  gain  which  was  in  some 
degree  our  loss  if  I  be  right  in  thinking  that  his  natural  instinct 
towards  poesie  was  oftentimes  enfeebled  by  the  weight  of  prestige  and 
precedent  which  study  of  the  poets  of  the  elder  world  had  brought 
upon  him.  The  ''  woodnotes  wild  "  of  this  English  singer  are  sweeter 
far  than  the  elaborated  themes  which  came  of  eager  listening  to 
strains  borne  down  from  Greece  and  Rome.  This  poet  born  has  left 
a  pretty  little  picture  of  himself  seeking  to  be  a  poet  made.  One 
immediate  result  of  the  process  through  which  he  went  he  tells  us  of : 
it  is  relevant  to  our  present  purpose.     Hear  him  :  * 

**  From  my  cradle  (you  must  know  that)  I 
Was  still  inclin'd  to  noble  poesy, 
And  when  that  once  pueriles  I  had  read, 
And  newly  had  my  Cato  construed, 
In  my  small  self  I  greatly  marvell'd  then, 
Amongst  all  other,  what  strange  kind  of  men 
These  poets  were,  and  pleased  with  the  name, 
To  my  mild  tutor  merrily  I  came, 
(For  I  was  then  a  proper  goodly  page, 
Much  like  a  pigmy,  scarce  ten  years  of  age), 
Clasping  my  slender  arms  about  his  thigh. 

*  O  my  dear  master  !  cannot  you  (quoth  I) 
Make  me  a  poet  ?     Do  it  if  you  can, 

And  you  shall  see,  I'll  quickly  be  a  man.' 
Who  me  thus  answer'd  smiling, '  Boy,'  quoth  he, 

*  If  you'll  not  play  the  wag,  but  I  may  see 
You  ply  your  learning,  I  will  shortly  read 
Some  poets  to  you  ; '  Phoebus  be  my  speed. 
To't  hard  went  I,  when  shortly  he  began, 
And  first  read  to  me  honest  Mantuan, 

♦  "  To  my  dearly  loved  Friend,  Henry  Reynolds,  Esq.  Of  Poets  and  Poesy  " 
[iv.  1254]. 


THE  FOLK-LOliE  OF  DRAYTON.  113 

Then  Virgil's  Eclogues  ;  being  enter'd  thus 
Methougbt  I  straight  had  mounted  Pegasus, 
And  in  his  full  career  could  make  him  stop, 
And  bound  upon  Paniassus'  by-clift  top. 
1  sconud  your  ballad  tJun,  though  it  were  done 
And  had  for  Finis,  William  Elderton." 

Happily  the  day  did  dawn  when  well-read  Drayton  became  subject 
to  the  fascination  of  his  country's  poets  ;  and  when  his  intellectual 
palate  no  longer  disdained  the  simple  sweetness  of  a  homely  ballad. 
He  found  delight  in  those  romances  of  chivalry  which  the  English 
press — only  a  doubtful  centenarian  at  the  time  of  Drayton's  birth  — 
made  it  one  of  its  earliest  charges  to  disseminate;  and  he  bade  his 
Muse  recount  the  deeds  of  Arthur  the  King,*  of  Merlin,f  of  Guy 
of  Warwick,:]:  of  Bevis§  of  Southampton,  of  "  merry  Robin  Hood,|| 
that  honest  thief." ^  The  Eclogues  were  probably  amongst  the  first 
secular  poems  that  Drayton  published,  and  in  the  fourth  **  of  them 
we  find  this  one-while  scorner  of  a  ballad  indulging  in  something 
very  like  a  ballad  of  his  own  : 

"  Far  in  the  country  of  Ardeu, 
There  won'd  a  knight,  hight  Cassamen, 
As  bold  as  Isenbras,f  f 


*  Pol.  iv.  [ii.  733]. 

t  Eclogue,  iv.  [iv.  1399];  Pol.  iv.  [ii.  735],  v.  [ii.  757],  x.  [iii.  842]. 

I  Pol.  xii.  [iii.  895],  xiii.  [iii.  922]. 
§  Pol.  ii.  [ii.  691]. 

II  Pol.  xxvi.  [iii.  1174].  It  is  a  significant  fact  that  there  is  nothing  relating 
to  Robin  Hood  in  the  recently  published  Records  of  the  Borovghof  Nottinyham 
/?wt  1135  f«  1399. 

\  Pol.  xxviii.  [iii.  1194],  where  Drayton  also  refers  to  "  the  pindar  of  the 
town  of  Wakefield,  George  a  Green,"  whose  combat  with  Robin  Hood,  Scarlet, 
and  Little  John,  is  the  theme  of  a  well-known  ballad,  printed  in  Ingledew's 
Ballads  and  Songs  of  Yorkshire.  The  editor  notes  (p.  47), "  In  1557  certain 
*  ballets '  are  entered  on  the  books  of  the  Stationers'  Company  .  .  .  one  of 
which  is  entitled  '  of  wakefylde  and  a  grene,'  meaning,  probably,  this  ballad." 

**  [iv.  1401]. 

tt  The  story  of  Syr  Ysambrace,  generally  called  "  Isumbras,"  was  very  popular 
in  this  country  in  early  times.  It  is  included  in  TJie  Thornton  Pomances 
(Camden  Society),  p.  88;  and  there  is  an  abstract  of  it  in  Ellis's  Sjxvimens  of 
Early  English  Metrical  Romances,  p.  479  (Bohn's  edition). 

Vol.  2.— Part  4.  i 


114  THE  FOLK-LORE  OF  DRAYTON. 

Fell  was  he  and  eager  bent, 
In  a  battle  and  in  touniamcut, 

As  was  the  good  Sir  Topas.* 
He  had  as  antique  stories  tell, 
A  daughter  cleaped  Dowsabel " 

and  SO  forth.  We  cannot  pass  the  sixth  Eclogue^  without  feeling 
quite  sure  that  Drayton's  sympathies  would  be  with  Gorbo  in  the 
invitation  to  Winken : 

"  Come,  sit  we  down  under  this  hawthorn  tree, 
The  morrow's  light  shall  lend  us  day  enough  ; 
And  let  us  tell  of  Gawin  %  or  Sir  Guy, 
Of  Robin  Hood,  or  of  old  Clem  a  Clongh.§ 

Or  else,  some  romant  unto  us  areed, 

By  former  shepherds  taught  thee  in  thy  youth, 

Of  noble  lords  and  ladies  gentle  deed. 

Or,  of  thy  love,  or  of  thy  lass's  truth." 

So  did  a  gracious  nature  assert  itself,  and  Fashion,  who  may  well 
dispute  with  Love  the  sovereignty  of  court,  and  camp,  and  grove, 
sided  with  that  nature,  and  urged  the  poet  now  and  then  to  write  as 

*  Drayton  had  a  soft  place  in  his  heart  for  "sir  Topas";  he  refers  to  him 
again  in  the  opening  of  NijMphidia  [ii.  451],  as  though  he  considered  him  an 
important  character  in  literature.  The  influence  of  Chaucer's  Rhne  is  very 
apparent  in  Dowsahcl ;  cf.  the  description  of  the  shepherd's  attire  with  that  of 
the  knight.  In  an  address  to  the  reader,  prefixed  to  Odes  with  other  Lyr'wk 
Pocgics,  Drayton  half  apologises  for  having  called  some  of  the  most  stirring 
lines  he  ever  wrote  a  ballad,  his  Ballad  of  Agincmn't.  He  says — and  one  soon 
learns  to  be  thankful  that  he  wrote  more  in  poetry  than  in  prose — [I]  "would 
at  this  time  also  gladly  let  thee  understand  what  I  think  above  the  rest  of  the 
last  ode  of  this  number,  or,  if  thou  wilt,  ballad,  in  my  book,  for  both  the  great 
master  of  Italian  rhymes,  Petrarch,  and  our  Chaucer,  and  other  of  the  upper 
house  of  the  Muses,  have  thought  their  canzons  honoured  in  the  title  of  ballad; 
which  for  that  I  labour  to  meet  truly  therein  with  the  old  English  garb,  I  hope 
as  able  to  justify  as  the  learned  Colin  Clout  his  IlouTulrlay."  This  Ballad  of 
Agincpurt  gave  our  ancestors  a  fine  foretaste  of  Tennyson,  vide  The  Ch^argc  of 
tJte  Light  Brigade. 

t  [iv.  1412]. 

j  In  his  Faii'y  Mythology  of  Sfuihesjjeare  (p.  123),  Hazlitt  reprints  an  old 
chap-book.  The  Singular  Adventures  of  Sir  Oawen,  which  he  takes  to  be  a 
ramification  of  one  of  the  histories  concerning  the  Arthurian  knight  Gawain. 

§  An  outlaw  as  famous  in  Inglewood,  near  Carlisle,  as  Robin  Hood  sub- 
sequently became  in  Sherwood.  See  Percy's  Reliques  for  "  Adam  Bell,  Clym  of 
the  Clough,  and  William  of  Cloudesley." 


THE  FOLK-LORE  OF  DRAYTON.  115 

though  *'  honest  Mantiian  "  and  his  compatriot  bards  had  never  been. 
But  Drayton  was  slow  in  fully  realising  the  fact  that  he  was  not  a 
Iloman  citizen.  Shakespeare,  by  A  Midsummer  Night's  Dream, 
made  a  new  revelation  of  faerie  in  1592  (?),  and  we  can  hardly  believe 
that  Drayton's  fancy  was  not  fertilised  thereby ;  yet  Shakespeare's 
pen  was  stayed  for  ever,  before  Drayton  wrote  the  elfin  poetry  on 
which  so  much  of  his  best  fame  depends.  In  1592  his  Pegasus  had 
been  stabled  for  about  two  years  in  London,  and  he  must  have  been 
already  in  some  sort  notorious  on  account  of  his  Hamionie  of  the 
Church  (Scripture  paraphrases  of  "linked  sweetness  long  drawn 
out''),  so  discordant  to  some  that  the  whole  edition  was  by  public 
order  condemned  to  be  destroyed  ;  and  it  is  only  because  forty  copies 
were  seized  by  the  then  Archbishop  of  Canterbury  that  we  have  a 
sole  surviving  specimen  for  bibliophilists  to  rejoice  over,  in  George 
the  Third's  library  in  the  British  Museum.*  It  was  wisely  done  of 
Drayton  that  when  he  next  tried  to  charm  the  hearts  of  men  he 
tuned  his  lyre  to  another  pitch  and  was  content  to  deal  with  lighter 
themes.  He  now  "  told  his  love,"  his  hapless  love,  and,  under  the 
name  of  Rowland,  posed  amongst  such  Cotswold  shepherds  as  do  not 
seem  to  have  been  puzzled  by  an  allusion  to  the  phoenix ;  who  were 
supposed  to  be  able  to  appreciate  a  reference  to  the  "  fat  olive  tree," 
and  to  be  as  familiar  with  the  deities  of  the  heathen  world  as 
Lempriere  himself. 

"  Shepherds  of  late  are  waxed  wond'rous  neat,"  f 
was  Moth's  not  uncalled-for  criticism. 

Without  doubt  it  is  necessary  to  go  back  to  the  days  before  Pan 
was  dead  in  order  to  taste  the  sweetness  of  pastoral  society  ;  but  we, 
my  brethren,  would  willingly  have  foregone  the  pagan  polish  of  these 
swains  for  rustic  talk  with  a  liberal  seasoning  of  folk-lore.  How  dis- 
appointing it  is  when  we  hear  from  Perkin  that 

"  Learned  Colyn  lays  his  pipes  to  gage, 
And  is  to  Fayrie  gone  to  Pilgrimage,"  % 

*  See  Hooper's,  still  incomplete.  Complete  Worlti  of  Miclmel  Drayton  (1876), 
vol.  i.  Introd.  pp.  xiv,-xvi.;  also  suh  "  Drayton,"  Encyelopeedia  Britannicay  9th 
edition. 

t  Eclogue,  v.  [iv.  1398].  %  Eclogue,  iii.  [iv.  1393]. 

I  2 


116  THE  FOLK-LORE  OF  DRAYTON. 

and  are,  perhaps,  expecting  another  Midsummer  NighVs  Dreamy  to 

find    nothing    whatsoever    subsequently    recorded    respecting    that 

pilgrim's  progress  ;  and  to  be  obliged  to  believe  that  we  have  merely 

an  allusion  to  Spenser  and  his  Faerie  Queen.     How  we  long,  and 

long  in  vain,  to  have  some  details  of  the  experience  of  the  "  lowly 

sort  "  amongst  whom  Gorbo  piped  ; 

"  Those  silly  herd-grooms  who  have  laughed  to  see 
When  I  by  moon-light  make  the  Fairies  sport."  * 

It  is  really  curious  to  remark  that  it  was  more  than  thirty  years  after 
this  before  Drayton  treated  his  readers  to  anything  more  than  most 
cursory  glances  at  the  elves  with  whom  he  ended  by  making  them  so 
well  acquainted. 

But  return  to  the  Eclogues.  A  folk-lore  student  pricks  his  ears 
when  in  the  ninth,|  and  most  English  of  them,  the  poet  begins  to 
speak  of  the  significance  of  flowers.     The  time  is  June. 

"  Who  now  a  posie  pins  not  in  his  cap  ? 
And  not  a  garland  baldrick-wise  doth  wear  ? 
Some  of  such  flowers  as  to  his  hand  doth  hap, 
Others  such  as  a  secret  meaning  bear : 

He,  from  his  lass  him  lavender  hath  sent, 
Showing  her  love,  and  doth  requital  crave  ; 
Him  rosemary,  his  sweetheart,  whose  intent 
Is  that  he  her  should  in  remembrance  have. 

lloses,  his  youth  and  strong  desire  express  ; 

Her  sage,  doth  show  his  sov'rcignty  in  all  ; 

The  July-flower  declares  his  gentleness  ; 

Thyme,  truth,  the  pansie,  heart's  ease  maidens  call." 

One  of  Drayton's  contemporaries,  whom  he  did  not  suflfer  gladly, 
wrote  :|  "  Louers  when  they  come  into  a  Gardeine,  some  gather 
Nettles,  some  Roses,  one  Tyme,  another  Sage,  and  eueryonc  that  for 

♦  Eclogue,  iv.  [iv.  1398]. 

f  [iv,  1430.]  Here  we  arc  told  that  at  shcaring-timc  the  father  of  the  flock 
proudly  bore  a  nosegay  in  his  horns,  the  bell-wether  going  no  less  bravely.  He 
was  accounted  King  of  the  Shepherds  whose  charge  had  produced  the  earliest 
lamb;  and,  as  we  learn  from  Polgolhion  (xiv.  [iii.  937]),  he  wore  a  "gay  bauld- 
rick "  when  he  sat  down  to  the  shearing-feast,  spread  **  upon  a  green  that 
curiously  was  squared,"  as  the  Eclvyue  says. 

X  See  Of  Poets  and  Poe.\i/  [iv.  1250],  and  Ei/jf/ituK  (Arber's  reprint),  p.  224. 


THE  FOLK-LORE  OF  DRAYTON.  117 

his  Ladyes  fauour  that  he  fauonreth  :  insomuch  as  there  is  no  Weede 
almoste  but  it  is  worne." 

Let  us  reason  of  the  meaning  of  those  that  our  flower-loving  poet 
has  named. 

Lavender,  "hot  lavender,"  as  Perdita*  calls  it,  when  she  is  busied 
as  these  shepherds  were  about  the  floral  adjuncts  of  a  sheep-shearing, 
has  cordial  properties  which  no  doubt  made  our  forefathers  fancy  that 
it  was  of  use  in  other  than  mere  physical  disorders  of  the  heart. 
Rosemary  and  rue  were  likewise  given  by  the  maiden  to  her  guests  : 
"  these  keep,"  she  said — 

"  Seeming  and  savour  all  the  winter  long  : 
Grace  and  remembrance  be  to  you  both." 

There  is  not  one  of  us  who  has  not  bethought  himself  of  poor 
Ophelia's, t  "There's  rosemary:  that's  for  remembrance,  pray  love 
remember."  The  peculiar  and  long-abiding  scent  of  this  plant  has  no 
doubt  had  much  to  do  in  determining  its  significance,  for  what  revives 
an  ail-but  dead  memory  more  effectually  than  the  breath  of  an  odour 
which  hung  about  us  somewhile,  long  ago  ?  The  present  form  of  the 
name  rosemary  disguises  the  fact  that  its  original  meaning  was  sea- 
dew.  J  Dr.  Brewer  §  states  that  it  was  believed  to  have  sprung  from 
the  foam  as  Venus  did,  and  to  share  her  influence  in  amatory  affairs, 
he  cites  Butler  (Hudibras,  part  ii.  c.  i,): 

**  Hence  some  reverend  men  approve 
Of  rosemary  in  making  love." 

The  Rose,  Jlos  jlorum,  was,  and  is,  most  fittingly  fios  Veneris  also. 
Story-tellers,  pious  and  otherwise,  of  various  nationalities,  give  as 
many  differing  accounts  of  its  origin.  Drayton  has  his  own  pretty 
fancy  for  the  nonce.  |{  In  the  Quest  of  Cynthia,^  the  seeker  relates 
that  he  saw  a  beautiful  bed  of  roses,  and  that,  on  asking  who  inspired 
them  with  their  virtue,  he  was  told — 

*  Tlie  Winter's  Tale,  act  iv.  sc.  4. 

t  Hamlet^  act  iv.  sc.  5. 

X  Skeat's  Etymological  Dictionary. 

§  Dictionary  of  Phrase  and  Fahle. 

II  In  the  ninth  Nymplial  [iv.  1515]  he  assents  to  Ovidean  theories  respecting 
the  genesis  of  hyacinth,  laurel,  and  sunflower.  He  says  Daphne  "  scorns  her 
father's  thunder.*' 

t  [»•  622.] 


118  THE  FOLK-LORE  OF  DRAYTON. 

"  As  the  base  Hemlock  were  we  such 
The  poysoned'st  weed  that  grows, 
Till  Cynthia  by  her  god-like  touch 
Transform'd  us  to  the  Kose." 

It  is  possible  that  some  confusion  between  the  word  sage = wise, 
good,  which  comes  to  us  through  the  French  from  sapius,  and  sage, 
the  aromatic  plant,  which  is  in  Latin  salvia,  may  have  led  to  the 
latter  being  accepted  as  an  emblem  of  wisdom  and  prudence.  If  so 
the  giving  of  it  by  a  lady  to  her  love,  "  to  show  his  sov'reignty  in 
all,"  certainly  betokened  her  ])ossession  of  the  sageness  and  discern- 
ment which  should  characterise  one  who — 

"  If  she  rules  him,  never  shows  she  rules." 

What  Drayton  meant  when  he  wrote  "  July  flower "  I  cannot 
pretend  to  decide  :  I  incline  to  think  that  he  meant  what  Shake- 
speare did  by  *'  gillyvors  ";  *  and  seeing  that  Warwickshire  men  and 
the  folk  of  many  other  counties  call  wallflower  {Cheiranthus  cheiri) 
gilly-flower  at  this  day,  I  thought,  until  not  very  long  ago,  that  the 
inference  was  plain.  But  then  the  wallflower  can  hardly  be  called 
the  blossom  of  July,  and  one  ought  to  bow  before  the  opinion  ex- 
pressed in  the  Dictionary  of  English  Plant-Names  (with  which 
Messrs.  Britten  and  Holland  have  enriched  the  English  Dialect 
Society),  that  Chaucer,  Spenser,  and  Shakespeare's  gillyvors  were  a 
small  kind  of  carnation,  and  that  it  was  only  later  writers  who  trans- 
planted the  name  to  stocks  and  wallflowers.  Drayton,  himself,  seems 
to  confirm  this  by  writing  :  f 

"  The  curious  clove  July-flower, 
Mlioste  kinds  hight  the  carnation 
For  sweetness  of  most  sovereign  power, 
Shall  help  my  wreath  to  fashion." 

I  know  not  whether  he  invented  the  name  July-flower,  but  whether 
he  did,  or  another  did,  it  is  a  fine  specimen  of  what  the  fashion  of  the 
day   calls   folk-etymology,   being  an   attempt  to   make     something 

•  The  Winter's  Tale,  act  iv.  sc.  ,3,  "  Our  carnations  and  sweet  gillyvors." 
t  MvgcH  ElyKivvi,  Nynnth.  v.  [iv.  1487];  see  also  Pol.  xv.  [iii.  94G]: 
"  The  brave  carnation  then  of  sweet  and  sovereign  power, 
So  of  his  colour  called  although  a  July  flower." 


IF 


THE  FOLK-LORE  OF  DRAYTON.  119 

'*  understanded  of  the  people  "  ont  of  gillyflower  which  comes  from 
the  ill-used  Latin  caryophillumy  a  clove.  The  soothing  aromatic  scent 
of  the,  say,  July  flower,  be  it  Cheiranthus,  Dianthus,  or  Matthiola, 
may  have  won  for  it  its  association  with  gentleness. 

I  confess  I  cannot  see  what  thyme  has  to  do  with  truth,  unless  we 
use  the  word  to  pun  with,  and  agree  with  the  Tyrwhitt  and  Trevelyan 
motto  that  "  Tyme  tryeth  troth,"  about  which  there  can  be  no  manner 
of  doubt.* 

Miss  Rossetti  f  sings  sweetly  enough — 

"  The  lily  has  an  aii', 

And  the  snowdrop  a  grace, 
And  the  sweetpea  a  way, 
And  the  heartsease  &face ;  " 

but  I  cannot  accept  Miss  Yonge's  \  suggestion  that  it  is  probably  to 
the  very  smiling  face  of  this  purple-capped  gentleman  that  the  flower 
owes  its  name  of  heartsease.  I  do  not  know  why  it  was  bestowed, 
unless  from  the  supposed  cardiac  virtue  of  the  plant;  but  it  has  a 
comfortable  sound  which  might  well  commend  the  blossom  to  lovers 
if  even  they  were  unmindful  of  its  significance  as  pansy — "  that's  for 
thoughts."  § 

Drayton  has  other  plant-lore  than  that  which  is  in  the  Eclogue 
and  I  will  make  up  a  bouquet  of  it  now. 

To  "  wear  the  willow "  is  still  an  expression  indicative  of  the 
condition  of  one  who  has,  in  any  sense,  lost  the  object  of  his  (or 
her)  heart's  best  love.  The  fourth,  Nymphal,  \\  of  the  Muses 
Elysium  opens  with  an  inquiry  referring  to  what  was  in  earlier  times 
no  mere  figure  of  speech — 

"  Why  how  now,  Cloris,  what  thy  head 
Bound  with  forsaken  willow." 


*  There  are  lines  beginning 

"  Eche  thing  I  se  hath  time  which  time  must  trye  my  truth, 
in  TotteVs  Miscellany,  1557  (Arber's  reprint),  p.  168. 
t  Sing-Song,  p.  74. 
X  Herb  of  the  Field,  p.  27. 
§   Hamlet,  act  iv.  sc.  5. 
II  [iv.  1479.J 


120  NOTES  AND  QUERIES. 

Benedick  offers  to  accompany  Claudio  to  the  next  Nvillow,  and  asks 

hira,  *'  Wliat  fasliion  will  you  wear  the  garland    of  ?     About  your 

neck  like  an  usurer's  chain  ?  or  under  your  arm  like  a  lieutenant's 

scarf  ?     You   must  wear  it  one  way,  for  the   prince  hath  got  your 

Hero."  * 

(To  he  continued.) 


NOTES  AND  QUERIES. 

Notes  from  Weardale,  Durham. 

Frogs. — Boys  Avere  frightened  from  killing  frogs  by  being  told  that 
they  would  be  visited  in  bed  by  a  form,  that  would  cut  a  hole  in  their 
backs. 

Toads. — These  reptiles  were  looked  upon  as  being  so  extremely 
vindictive  that  if  their  solitude  was  disturbed  they  would  spit  venom 
at  the  intruder. 

Sty. — As  in  Ireland,  touching  with  a  wedding-ring  was  considered 
a  good  remedy. 

Blnchhirds  were  very  unpopular  with  boys ;  a  party  of  birds-nesters 
falling  in  with  a  "  black-throstle's  "  nest  would  have  no  hesitation  in 
taking  it  If  eggs  were  found,  it  was  the  custom  to  lay  one  upon  the 
ground;  a  boy  was  then  blindfolded,  a  stick  put  in  his  hand;  and  he 
had  three  "  tries "  to  break  it.  Turns  would  be  taken  by  the  boys 
until  all  the  eggs  were  broken.  If  newly-hatched  birds,  called  "  raw- 
gorlins,"  or  unfeathered,  were  found,  they  were  taken  out  of  the  nest, 
a  piece  of  wood  was  placed  upon  a  stone  in  "  see-saw  "  fashion,  with 
the  young  bird  on  one  end,  a  heavy  stick  was  then  used  to  give  a 
sharp  blow  on  the  other  end,  when  the  bird  was  jerked  high  in  the 
air,  generally  falling  quite  dead.  This  was  called  "  spang-hewing." 
The  eggs  or  young  of  sparrows  were  served  in  the  same  manner.  It 
was  not  customary  to  treat  other  birds  so. 

J.  G.  Fen  WICK. 

♦  Much  Adfl  About  Xothing,  act  ii.  sc.  1. 


NOTES  AND  QUERIES.  121 

Lochcarron  —  Superstitions  concerning  Suicide.  —  An  elderly 
woman,  the  wife  of  Donald  M'Kae,  crofter,  township  of  Erbers.iy, 
parish  of  Lochalsh,  committed  suicide  by  hanging  herself  on  Thursday 
last.  Great  difficulty  was  experienced  in  getting  a  tradesman  to  make 
the  coffin,  owing  to  the  superstitious  belief  entertained  by  the  natives 
that  it  is  not  "  lucky  "  to  make  a  coffin  for  a  suicide.  Any  tradesman 
known  to  make  a  coffin  for  a  suicide  will  get  no  employment  from  the 
natives  afterwards. — The  Scotsman,  January  31,  1884. 

Witchcraft  in  the  North. — A  curious  instance  of  the  survival  of 
superstition  was  revealed  on  Monday  at  the  Inverness  police-court. 
An  elderly  Highland  woman,  named  Isabella  Macrae,  or  Stewart, 
residing  at  Muirtown  Street,  Inverness,  was  charged  with  assaulting 
a  little  girl.  The  evidence  showed  that  the  little  girl  had  used  insult- 
ing language  to  the  prisoner,  while  the  prisoner,  on  the  other  hand, 
had  alluded  to  the  little  girl's  grandmother  as  a  witch.  Towards  the 
close  of  the  case  great  amusement  was  caused  in  court  by  the  accused 
producing  a  clay  image,  or  coiy  creagh,  which  she  believed  was  made 
by  the  so-called  witch.  The  legs  had  been  broken  off  the  image,  and 
since  then  the  prisoner  believed  that  her  own  legs  were  losing  their 
strength.  A  gentleman  who  wished  to  purchase  the  image  after  the 
accused  had  left  the  court  was  promptly  told  that  on  no  account  would 
she  part  with  it,  for  if  anything  happened  to  it  in  this  gentleman's 
possession  she  might  die,  and  she  was  not  prepared  to  die  yet.  She 
therefore  wished  to  keep  the  image  in  safety  so  long  as  it  would  hold 
together,  for  so  long  as  the  image  lasted  she  believed  its  baneful 
influences  upon  her  would  be  ineffectual.  Her  husband  had  died  some 
time  ago,  and  also  three  horses,  and  she  grieved  to  think  that  all  these 
calamities  were  attributable  to  witchcraft.  The  image  was  about  four 
inches  in  length;  green  worsted  threads  containing  the  diabolic  charm 
were  wound  around,  while  pins  were  pierced  through  the  part  where 
the  heart  should  be.  Bailie  Mackay,  notwithstanding  the  illustration 
of  demonology  which  he  witnessed,  found  the  accused  guilty,  and 
passed  sentence  of  fine  or  imprisonment.  —  Macclesfield  Coime}\ 
December  22,  1883. 

Couvade  in  Yorkshire. — We  heard  lately,  from  a  source  that  is 
above  suspicion,  of  the  survival  in  a  certain  district  of  Yorkshire  of  a 


122  NOTES  AND  QUERIES. 

practice  bearing  no  little  resemblance  to  the  couvade.  When  an  ille- 
gitimate child  is  born,  it  is  a  point  of  honour  with  the  girl  not  to 
reveal  the  father;  but  the  mother  of  the  girl  forthwith  goes  out  to 
look  for  him,  and  the  first  man  she  finds  keeping  his  bed  is  he.— 
Academy,  IGth  February,  1884. 

Witchcraft. — I  have  just  met  with  the  following  horrible  bit  of 
folk-lore  in  Drakard's  Stamford  News  for  October  15,  1833.  A  poor 
man  residing  at  Woodhurst,  Huntingdonshire,  a  short  time  since  had 
a  sow  which  brought  a  litter  of  pigs,  and,  as  it  not  unfrequently  does 
occur,  a  day  or  two  afterwards  the  sow  and  pigs  appeared  to  be  very 
ill :  his  neighbours  assured  him  that  they  were  bewitched,  and  by 
their  persuasion  he  was  induced  to  the  horrible  act  of  actually  roasting 
one  of  the  little  creatures  to  death,  as  the  only  means  of  saving  the 
rest  and  finding  out  the  witch,  whom  they  asserted  would  be  sure  to 
appear  during  the  ceremony.  In  this  they  were  disappointed,  of 
course,  but  the  sow  and  the  pigs  recovered,  as  the  poor  little  sufferer 
no  doubt  would  have  done  had  it  not  been  so  inhumanly  destroyed. 

Edward  Peacock. 

Bottesford  Manor,  Brigg. 

Ploughing  Day  at  Mouldshaugh,  Felton. — At  this  farm  on 
Feb.  25th  there  was  witnessed  by  a  considerable  number  of  agricul- 
turists and  others  from  the  locality  an  interesting  gathering  of  plough- 
men on  the  occasion  of  a  day's  ploughing  on  the  farm  which  has  been 
let  to  Mr.  Arthur  S.  Donkin,  Bywell.  The  respect  which  the  family 
of  the  entering  tenant  has  gained  throughout  a  wide  circle  naturally 
brought  forward  a  very  strong  muster  of  ploughs,  sent  from  far  and 
near  in  strong  and  powerful  teams. 

Ploughing  Day  at  Bartlehill.  —  Messrs.  W.  and  J.  Ormston, 
Smailholm  Mains,  who  have  recently  taken  a  lease  of  the  fine  farms  of 
Bartlehill  and  Kingsrigg,  received  from  their  friends  and  neigh- 
bours the  compliment  of  a  day's  ploughing.  At  an  early  hour  about 
seventy  ploughs  appeared  on  the  ground,  and  succeeded  in  turning 
over  nearly  the  whole  of  the  stubble  break. 

Fasten  E'en  Ball.— The  playing  of  a  hand-ball  in  the  streets  of 
Duns,  in  observance  of  the  ancient  festival  of  Fasten  E'en,  took  place 
on  Tuesday.     The  weather  was  fine,  and  a  largti  crowd  gathered  at 


3 

NOTES  AND  QUERIES.  12 

the  Town  Hall,  at  two  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  where  the  lord  of  the 
manor  (Mr.  Hay,  of  Duns  Castle)  threw  off  the  first  ball.  Play  was 
carried  on  with  spirit,  the  married  men  striving  to  carry  the  ball  to  the 
kirk  as  their  goal,  and  the  unmarried  men  to  one  of  the  meal-mills  in 
the  parish  as  their  goal.  The  first  ball  was  "  kirked  "  and  the  second 
"  milled."  Another  ball  was  afterwards  put  up,  and  aiForded  amuse- 
ment until  dusk.— Kelso  Chronicle,  29  Feb.  1884. 

Football  Day  at  Alnwick. — From  time  immemorial  Shrove  Tuesday 
at  Alnwick  has  been  dedicated  to  the  ancient  pastime  of  kicking  the 
football,  and  this  year  there  was  no  departure  from  the  celebration  of 
this  time-honoured  custom.  Before  the  Alnwick  Improvement  Act 
came  into  operation,  over  fifty  years  ago,  the  game  was  played  in  the 
streets  cf  the  town,  a  custom  which  resulted  in  much  damage  to  win- 
dows, &c.,  the  reparation  of  which  was  defrayed  by  the  lord  of  the 
manor.  The  magistrates,  after  the  passing  of  the  Act,  prohibited  the 
playing  of  the  game  in  the  streets,  and  in  consequence  the  Duke  of 
Northumberland  instituted  an  annual  match  between  the  married  and 
unmarried  freemen,  also  a  match  for  the  townspeople,  and  this  custom 
was  carried  on  until  1847,  when  the  Duke  of  Northumberland  died 
at  Alnwick  Castle  in  the  month  of  February,  and  no  game  was  played 
the  following  year.  Subsequently,  however,  the  sport  was  resuscitated, 
the  players  to  be  the  parishioners  of  St.  Michael's  v.  the  parishioners 
of  St.  Paul's.  And  so  it  has  continued  until  now,  on  Shrove  Tuesday, 
in  the  "  Pasture,"  or  north  demesne,  by  permission  of  his  Grace  the 
Duke  of  Northumberland.  On  Tuesday  at  half-past  one,  the  com- 
mittee assembled  at  the  barbican  of  the  castle,  and  received  the  ball 
at  the  hands  of  the  porter,  and  immediately  afterwards,  headed  by  the 
duke's  piper,  playing  various  airs  on  the  Northumberland  pipes,  pro- 
ceeded to  the  north  demesne,  where  the  ball  was  kicked  oiF  from  the 
centre  of  the  goals,  which  were  placed  as  near  as  convenient  to  the 
extreme  ends  of  the  demesne.  After  an  arduous  struggle,  kept  up 
with  much  of  the  old  spirit,  a  goal  was  scored  by  St  Michael's  parish ; 
and  the  other  two  goals  were  not  played  for.  After  the  prizes  had 
been  paid  the  ball  was  thrown  up,  to  become  the  property  of  any  one 
who  succeeded  in  carrying  it  away.  This  feat  was  performed  by  John 
Lundie,  who  got  the  ball  up   the  river  and  under  the  bridge,  and  it 


124  NOTES  AND  QUERIES. 

became  his  prize.  The  schclars  of  the  duke's  school  also  played  a 
game  on  the  ground.  On  the  termination  of  the  sport  the  committee 
adjourned  to  the  guest  hall  at  the  castle,  where  they  were  entertained. 
—  Kelso  Chronicle,  29  Feb.  1884. 

Football  at  Chester-le-Street. — The  annual  football  match  between 
the  "  up-street"  and  "  down-street"  inhabitants  of  Chester-le-Street  took 
place  on  Shrove  Tuesday.  The  "  up-street "  people,  it  need  scarcely  be 
said,  live  on  the  level,  the  "  down-streeters"  occupying  the  banks  of 
the  burn  ;  and  the  struggle  takes  place  in  the  street,  the  windows 
along  the  route  being  barricaded.  At  one  o'clock  Mr.  Joseph  Murray, 
in  front  of  the  Queen's  Head  Hotel,  kicked  off  the  ball,  which  was  at 
once  taken  down  the  street,  when  it  got  into  the  burn  ;  but  the  com- 
batants rushed  into  the  water,  where  a  scrimmage  took  place,  and  the 
leather  was  soon  taken  on  to  the  rising  ground  beyond,  and  thence  to 
the  residence  of  Mr.  Marshall  at  Castle  View.  At  this  point  a  hare 
ran  across  the  path,  and  was  caught.  Recrossing  the  burn,  the  ball, 
after  a  short  deviation  along  Pelton  Lane,  was  driven  up  the  bank, 
and  the  "  up-streete.rs"  for  the  time  were  successful.  The  "down- 
streeters"  soon  brought  back  the  ball  to  their  own  locality,  however; 
and  during  the  remainder  of  the  day  it  did  not  reach  the  up-town 
territory  more  than  two  or  three  times.  The  advantage  all  day 
indeed,  was  with  the  "down-streeters." 

Football  at  Sedgefield. — It  has  been  the  custom  from  time  imme  - 
raorial  for  the  Sedgefield  church  clerk  and  jsexton  to  find  a  football  to 
be  played  for  by  the  tradesmen  and  countrymen  of  that  village  on 
Shrove  Tuesday.  This  year  the  ball  was  provided  by  Mr.  G.  liobinson, 
who  holds  both  offices.  The  tradesmen's  goal  is  at  the  south  end  of 
the  village,  near  Spring  Lane;  and  the  countrymen's  a  "pond"  at 
the  north  end.  The  ball  was  put  through  the  bull-ring  in  the  middle 
of  the  village  green  exactly  at  1  p.m.  on  Tuesday,  by  Mr.  G.  Robin- 
son, and  was  then  in  for  play.  Both  sides  were  determined  to  win  or 
die,  as  it  were  ;  and  more  reckless  play  we  have  not  witnessed.  No 
rules  were  adhered  to,  and  scraped  shins  became  the  order  of  the  day. 
After  play  lasting  three  hours  and  fifteen  minutes,  the  tradesmen  were 
declared  the  victors,  they  having  succeeded  in  passing  the  ball  over 
the  pond. 


NOTICES  AND  NEWS. 

Ausfiihrliches  Lexikon  der  Griechischen  und  Eomischen  Mythologie  im 
Verein  mit  den  Namhafster  Gelehrten  herausgegehen  von  W,  H. 
Eoscher.  Mit  zaJdreichen  Ahhildungen.  Parts  1  and  2.  1884. 
Leipzig,  B.  G.  Teubner.  London,  David  Nutt. 
The  want  of  a  systematic  guide  to  the  whole  field  of  classical  myth- 
ology has  long  been  felt.  Our  existing  text-books  are  almost  entirely 
out  of  date,  and  the  student  who  wishes  to  familiarise  himself  with 
the  latest  investigations  must  seek  for  information  in  the  often  almost 
inaccessible  pages  of  German,  Russian,  and  Italian  periodicals,  or 
from  numberless  privately  printed  dissertations  and  pamphlets. 
Preller''s  well-known  handbooks,  admirable  as  they  are,  do  not  repre- 
sent the  present  state  of  opinion  on  many  points  ;  besides  which,  the 
Griediischen  Mythologie  is  out  of  print.  Indeed,  the  only  compara- 
tively recently  published  work  dealing  with  the  whole  range  of  myth- 
ological subjects,  as  far  as  Greece  is  concerned,  is  Decharme's  Myth- 
ologie de  la  Grec  Antique,  a  careful  and  well-meaning  but  assuredly 
not  exhaustive  work.  All  students  will  therefore  welcome  the  new 
lexicon ;  they  will  find  in  it  the  minute  and  laborious  accuracy,  the 
fulness  of  bibliographical  reference,  the  carefulness  of  quotation,  the 
exhaustiveness  of  method  which  characterise  so  honourably  modern 
German  scholarship.  Every  help  is  afforded  to  the  student  engaged 
in  independent  and  original  investigation,  and  desirous  of  testing  the 
conclusions  of  the  author  of  each  article  ;  whilst  at  the  same  time 
the  information  is  given  in  such  a  clear  and  definite  form,  and  the 
various  theories  are  so  truly  stated,  as  to  make  the  work  of  great 
value  to  the  scholar  who,  without  being  a  specialist  himself,  wishes  to 
keep  au  courant  of  the  researches  of  specialists.  As  might  be  ex- 
pected, the  present  is  a  lexicon  almost  as  much  of  classical  archaeology 
as  of  mythology  in  the  usual  sense.  It  is  only  within  comparatively 
recent  times  that  the  importance  of  the  plastic  and  figured  side  of 
mythology  has  been  fully  recognised,  and  most  students  will  agree 
that  this  is  the  most  promising  and  fruitful  branch  of  mythological 
investigation.  The  present  instalment  carries  the  work  down  to 
"  Anios."     Of  especial   importance  and  fulness   arc  the   articles  on 


126  NOTICES  AND  NEWS. 

**  Achilles  "  (52  pages),  in  which  the  author  decides  for  the  original 
river-god  character  of  the  hero;  on  "  iEneas  "  (44  pages)  ;  on  the 
"  Amazons  "  (12  pages),  in  which  the  author  comes  to  the  conclusion 
that  the  various  traditions  cannot  possibly  be  referred  to  one  source, 
either  mythic  or  historic,  but  are  of  different  origins ;  on  "  Ammon," 
Avhich,  like  the  remaining  Egyptian  and  Eastern  articles,  is  the  Vvork 
of  Professor  E.  Meyer,  the  author  of  the  excellent  monograph  recently 
published  on  the  identity  of  the  Gardharvas  and  the  Centaurs,  &c. 
Flowers  and  Floiver-Lore.  By  the  Kev.  Hilderic  Friend.  London, 
1884.     (Sonncnschein.)     8vo.  2  vols,  pp.-  xvi.  352,  353-704. 

The  contents  of  these  handsome  volumes  are  as  follows  : — Biblio- 
graphy— Introduction — cap.  i.  The  Fairy  Garland  ;  ii.  From  Pixy  to 
Puck ;  iii.  The  Virgins'  Bower  ;  iv.  Bridal  Wreaths  and  Bouquets  ; 
V.  Flowers  for  Heroes,  Saints,  and  Gods ;  vi.  Traditions  about 
Flowers  ;  vii.  Proverbs  of  Flowers  and  Plants;  viii.  Flowers  and 
the  Seasons  ;  ix.  The  Magic  Wand  ;  x.  Superstitions  about  Flowers  ; 
xi.  Flowers  and  Showers  ;  xii.  Curious  Beliefs  of  Herbalists ;  xiii. 
Sprigs  and  Sprays  in  Heraldry :  xiv.  Strange  Facts  about  Plants' 
Names;  xv.  The  Language  of  Flowers;  xvi.  Rustic  Flower 
Names ;  xvii.  Peculiar  uses  of  Flowers  and  Plants  ;  xviii.  Witches 
and  their  Flower-Lore  ;  xix.  Flowers  and  the  Dead  ;  xx.  Wreaths 
and  Chaplets  ;  Critical  and  Biographical  Notes  ;  Index  to  illustra- 
tions ;  Index  to  names  and  matter  ;  additions  and  corrections. 

Although  Mr.  Friend  is  careful  to  tell  us  that  he  does  not  pretend 
to  be  exhaustive,  there  can  be  no  doubt  th&t  he  has  fulfilled  his  task 
well,  and  has  produced  a  book  which  must  for  some  time  to  come  yet 
be  the  text-book  on  the  subject.  We  know  that  Mr.  Britten  has 
worked  long  at  this  subject,  and  we  may  expect  some  day  to  see  the 
result  of  his  researches ;  but  still  Mr.  Friend  has  proceeded  along  a 
path  of  his  own,  and  has  some  considerable  claims  to  be  considered  a 
pioneer.  Flowers  might  be  expected  to  produce  a  wonderful  growth 
of  superstitious  fancy  and  belief,  but  perhaps  few  would  have  expected 
that  there  was  so  much  to  be  said  about  them  and  so  much  still  left 
unsaid.  Mr.  Friend's  travels  in  China  and  elsewhere  have  shown 
him  personally  how  much  is  to  be  gained  from  comparative  folk-lore, 
and  he  is  not  slow  to  utilise  this  experience,  by  which  we  have  pre- 


NOTICES   AND    NEWS.  127 

sented  to  us  many  curious  examples  of  parallel  beliefs  between  savage 
and  civilised.  There  are  some  parts  of  the  book  which  might  with 
advantage  have  been  extended,  and  we  must  confess  to  a  little  dis- 
appointment that  Mr.  Friend  has  not  given  something  like  a  summary 
of  his  results— some  key  to  the  anthropological  importance  which 
flower-lore  must  undoubtedly  possess.  But  perhaps  this  is  expecting 
more  than  Mr.  Friend  intended  in  this  first  study  of  a  very  big  subject. 
He  seeks  to  be  popular  rather  than  exhaustive,  and  in  this  he  has 
thoroughly  succeeded.  The  reader  has  much  to  please  him  throughout 
the  whole  of  these  interesting  pages,  and  also  much  to  learn,  for 
Mr.  Friend's  labours  have  been  directed  chiefly  to  the  work  of  collect- 
ing materials  both  from  literary  sources  and  from  the  peasantry  them- 
selves. There  can  be  no  doubt  of  the  great  value  of  Mr.  Friend's 
collection,  many  items  of  which  are,  we  think,  entirely  new  and  have 
never  yet  been  printed  ;  but  still  the  student  will  miss  many  things 
that  are  requisite  in  books  of  this  sort,  which  must  inevitably  find 
their  way  to  students'  shelves.  For  instance,  the  quotations  from 
authors  are  rarely  accompanied  by  full  references,  although  ample 
acknowledgment  is  given  in  the  notes,  and  a  very  useful  and  toler- 
ably complete  bibliography  is  printed  at  the  beginning.  For  all  this 
extra  care  and  labour  on  Mr.  Friend's  part  we  are  most  grateful,  and 
if  we  have  appeared  somewhat  to  grumble  it  is  that  we  have  learnt 
just  sufficient  from  this  book  to  make  us  wish  to  learn  more. 

Spain  bids  fair  to  take  the  first  rank  in  the  study  of  folk-lore.  On 
the  1st  of  February  was  held  a  meeting  in  Corunna,  under  the  presi- 
dency of  the  celebrated  novelist,  Sra.  Da.  Emilia  Pardo  Bazan,  to 
initiate  the  Gallician  Folk-Lore  Society.  The  lady  president  delivered 
an  eloquent  address  on  folk-lore,  first  showing  what  it  is  not,  and  then 
what  it  is,  and  then  who  can  give  a  helping  hand  in  the  work. 

Another  society  has  been  formed  in  Madrid  for  Castile,  with  Sr.  Don 
Gaspar  Nunez  de  Arce  as  president,  and  a  strong  executive.  There 
are  eleven  sections  in  the  society,  viz.  the  literary,  law,  fine  arts, 
botany,  zoology,  geology,  mathematics,  education,  physical  and  che- 
mical, geographical  and  medical.  There  are  now  three  societies 
in   Spain,  or  rather  three  branches  of  one  society,  "El  Folk-Lore 


128  NOTICES  AND  NEWS. 

Espanol,"  in  a  great  measure  set  on  foot  a  few  years  ago  by  Sr.  Don. 
A.  Machado  y  Alvarez. 

Shortly  will  be  published  Greek  Folk-Songs,  from  the  enslaved 
provinces  of  Greece.  Literal  and  metrical  translations,  by  Lucy  M. 
J.  Garnett ;  revised  and  edited,  with  an  Introduction  and  Annotations, 
by  John  S.  Stuart-Glennie,  M.A.  These  translations  by  Miss  Garnett, 
wlio  lias  resided  for  many  years  in  the  Levant,  are  so  selected  and 
arranged  as  to  give  a  comprehensive  view  of  all  classes  of  Greek  folk- 
songs. These,  like  folk-songs  generally,  fall  into  three  great  natural 
divisions  —  (I.)  Mythological,  (II.)  Domestic,  and  (111.)  Historical, 
and,  thus  arranged,  a  systematic  view  is  given  of  the  whole  life  of  the 
people,  so  far  as  it  is  expressed  in  their  songs. 

In  the  last  number  of  the  Journal  of  the  Asiatic  Society  of  Bengal^ 
just  to  hand,  is  a  valuable  article  on  *'  Panjabi  Death  Customs,"  by 
Sirdar  Grudyal  SingTi. 

Bihle  Folk-lore^  by  the  author  of  liahhi  Jeshua,  will  presently  be 
published.  This  work  claims  to  be  an  original  inquiry  into  the  myths 
and  miraculous  stories  of  the  Old  and  New  Testament,  which  are  com- 
pared throughout  with  their  parallels  in  the  literature  of  Egypt, 
Assyria,  Phoenicia,  Persia,  and  India  (Vedic  and  Buddhist). 

There  is  in  the  press  a  volume  of  Wide-awake  Stories,  a  collection 
of  tales  told  by  little  children,  between  sunset  and  sunrise,  in  the 
Panjab  and  Kashmir,  by  F.  A.  Steel  and  R.  C.  Temple.  In  this 
book  are  collected  together,  in  a  literary  form,  adapted  to  the  use  of 
both  adults  and  children,  the  folk-tales  published  by  the  authors  from 
time  to  time  during  the  last  four  or  five  years  in  the  Indian  Antiquan/. 
An  introduction  will  be  given  to  the  book  explaining  (inter  alia)  the 
method  of  collection  pursued  by  the  authors,  and  it  will  be  published 
with  explanatory  notes  and  an  index. 

We  are  glad  to  see  that  M4lusine  is  to  reappear,  the  first  number  of 
the  second  volume  being  announced  for  the  5th  April  next,  to  be  fol- 
lowed by  monthly  issues  on  the  first  of  each  month.  British  sub- 
scribers are  requested  to  remit  their  subscription  by  an  international 
money  order  to  Monsieur  A.  F.  Staude,  manager  of  Melusine,  6,  rue 
des  Fosses-Saint' Bernard,  Paris.  They  can  also  subscribe  through  a 
bookseller. 


MALAGASY  FOLK-TALES. 

By  the  Rev.  James  Sibree,  Junior. 


|HE  preceding  specimens  of  the  Folk-Tales  of  the  Malagasy 
have  been  all  given  in  full,  and  probably  are  sufficient  to 
show  the  general  character  of  these  productions.  We 
shall  only  add  two  or  three  more  to  these  examples,  and, 

in  order  to  economise  space,  shall  give  them  in  outline,  as  all  the  tales 

are  more  or  less  wordy  and  full  of  repetitions  which  add  nothing  to 

the  main  purport  of  the  story. 

The  following  tale,  from  the   name   of   the  hero,  may  be  called 

Isilakblona,  although  it  is  not  so  named  in  Mr.  Dahle's  collection. 

It  will  be  seen  that  in  some  points  it  resembles  the  story  of  Itrimobe 

and  Rafara  already  given. 

IsiLAKOLONA. 

This  is  a  story  in  which  the  hero  is  the  youngest  of  four  sons,  and 
is  only  half  a  man,  one  side  of  him  being  of  wood.  The  other  sons 
propose  to  their  father  that  this  strange  brother  of  theirs  should  be 
cast  off  and  disinherited,  to  which  he  agreed ;  but  the  mother  would 
not  consent  to  be  parted  from  her  child,  and  said"  that  he  must  divorce 
her  if  he  persisted  in  his  intentions.  This  the  father  does  ;  and  the 
youngest  son  goes  away  with  his  mother,  and  keeps  a  number  of 
dogs. 

Some  time  afterwards  the  three  sons  propose  to  the  father  that  they 
should  perform  some  difficult  feat,  and  ask  him  what  they  should  do. 
He  replies  that  they  had  better  do  what  no  one  else  had  been  able  to 
accomplish,  viz.  bring  to  him  a  white  guinea-fowl,  some  red  bees  (or 
wasps),  a  bull  named  Ilaisambilo,  and  three  mysterious  creatures 
named  lampelamananbho.  They  agree  to  this,  thinking  they  will  easily 

Vol.  2. — Part  5.  k 


130  MALAGASY  FOLK-TALES. 

accomplish  the  task.  On  their  way  to  hunt  the  white  guinea-fowl 
they  pass  by  the  hut  of  their  brother,  and  fetch  him  out  to  go  with 
them.  He  consents,  and  tells  his  mother  not  to  allow  his  dogs  to 
starve,  but  to  kill  a  bullock  for  them  every  day.  And  he  also  points 
out  a  banana-tree,  which  is  to  be  a  sign  of  his  condition;  its  withering 
being  a  proof  that  he  would  be  ill,  its  dying  away  a  sign  that  he  would 
be  dead.  Off  the  four  brothers  go  to  hunt;  but  the  bird  flies  far  away 
into  the  forest.  The  three  soon  gave  up  the  chase;  but  Isilak6lona, 
invoking  his  ancestors,  caused  the  guinea-fowl  to  approach  him.  The 
bird  obeyed;  he  secured  it,  and  goes  off  home  with  his  prize.  On  the 
way,  however,  his  brothers  threaten  him  with  death  if  he  does  not  give 
it  up  to  them,  which  he  is  obliged  to  do,  and  he  then  goes  home 
without  anything  to  show  for  his  pains. 

The  same  kind  of  thing  happens  when  they  go  to  procure  the  red 
bees ;  the  three  brothers  ask  the  youngest  one  to  accompany  them. 
Again  he  assents,  but  when  the  three  hear  the  loud  hum  of  the  bees 
they  run  off.  But  Isilakblona  threw  a  large  empty  gourd  into  the 
midst  of  the  bees,  and,  invoking  his  ancestors,  commands  the  insects  to 
enter  peacefully  into  the  gourd.  This  they  do,  and  he  thereupon 
takes  them  home.  But  again  the  three  elder  brothers  threaten  him 
with  loss  of  life  unless  he  gives  up  the  bees  to  them.  He  is  obliged 
to  consent,  and  they  take  the  gourd  to  their  father. 

After  a  time  again  the  three  go  to  hunt  the  bull  llaisambilo.  Again 
the  younger  brother  is  fetched,  and  goes,  although  against  his 
mother's  wish.  This  feat  is  a  more  difficult  one  to  accomplish,  but 
by  getting  up  into  a  tree  Isilakblona  succeeds  in  leaping  upon  the 
bull's  back,  and  patting  his  head  he  binds  him  securely  and  brings 
him  away.  Again  he  is  made  to  yield  his  spoils  to  his  brothers  by 
threats  of  their  killing  him,  and  for  the  third  time  he  returns  home 
empty. 

At  length,  for  the  fourth  time,  the  brothers  go  away  to  perform  the 
last  difficult  task  given  them  to  do.  They  again  fetch  the  youngest 
brother,  and  again  the  mother  objects  to  his  going.  He  tells  her  that 
it  is  the  last  time,  and  that  he  will  take  his  chief  dog,  and  that  if  the 
other  dogs  bark  she  is  to  let  them  go,  as  that  will  be  a  sign  that  he  is 
in  danger ;  and  again  he  cautions  her  to  look  carefully  at  the  banana- 


MALAGASY  FOLK-TALES.  131 

tree.  The  brothers  at  last  came  to  the  dwelling-places  of  the  three 
sisters  (apparently  witches),  and  looking  into  first  one  and  then 
another  they  at  last  find  one  which  is  unoccupied,  and  sit  down  to 
cook  their  rice.  After  a  little  while  the  witches  return,  and  cry 
out,  "  Here  are  strangers  come,  whom  we  will  eat ! "  The  three 
brothers  ask  Isilakolona  to  get  them  out  of  their  peril,  promising  to 
give  him  oxen  and  sheep  when  they  get  back  home.  So  he  asks  one 
of  the  witches  foj*  water  and  it  is  brought  to  him.  But  he  refuses  to 
drink,  saying  that  it  is  not  the  kind  of  vessel  he  is  used  to  drink  from. 
So  they  bring  him  different  kinds  of  things,  but  still  he  refuses. 
After  some  time  the  witch  asks,  "  What  then  do  you  drink  from  ?  " 
He  replies  that  he  only  drinks  out  of  a  net.  So  the  three  witches  go 
to  fetch  water  in  a  net.  Meanwhile  the  four  brothers  rise  and  go  oflf 
home,  taking  with  them  a  round  pebble,  a  reed,  a  rush  and  an  egg. 

During  this  time  the  three  witches  are  trying  to  draw  water  in  a 
net,  but  as  fast  as  they  draw  it  it  of  course  runs  out  again.  At  length 
they  become  angry  as  they  find  out  the  trick  played  upon  them.  They 
return  to  the  house,  but  finding  the  brothers  gone  set  off  in  pursuit, 
their  coming  being  known  by  the  storm  which  arose.  To  prevent 
being  captured,  Isilakolona  plants  the  reed,  and,  invoking  his  ancestors, 
commands  the  reed  to  become  a  great  forest.  This  comes  to  pass, 
but  the  pursuers  cut  it  down  and  pass  onwards.  Then  the  rush  is 
planted,  and  commanded  to  become  a  dense  thicket ;  this  is  also  done, 
and  stops  the  enemy  for  a  while,  but  is  at  length  also  cleared  away. 
Then  the  egg  is  thrown  down  and  becomes  a  great  lake,  but  the 
pursuers  drink  it  up  and  soon  pass  on  in  pursuit.  Then  Isilakolona 
puts  down  the  pebble,  and,  standing  upon  it  with  his  brothers,  com- 
mands, and  the  stone  rises  up  and  becomes  an  immense  rock.  Then 
the  sisters  come  up  and  beg  to  be  taken  upon  the  top,  but  are 
refused. 

So  the  brothers  wait  there  a  long  time  and  at  length  become  very 
hungry.  At  that  time  the  mother  happened  to  look  at  the  banana- 
tree,  and  saw  that  it  was  beginning  to  wither,  and  the  dogs  also  began 
to  growl.  One  after  another  the  dogs  were  sent  off,  but  as  fast  as 
they  came  up  the  witches  destroyed  them.  Then  the  three  brothers 
begged  Isilak6lona  to  devise  some  new  plan.     He  bids  them  make 

k2 


132  MALAGASY  FOLK-TALES. 

ropes  of  their  clothes,*  and  calls  to  the  witches  to  fix  some  spears  in 
the  ground,  and  then  to  take  hold  of  the  ropes  which  he  would  let 
down.  Two  of  them  do  this ;  but  the  brothers  cut  the  ropes  when 
their  enemies  have  nearly  reached  the  top,  upon  which  they  fall  down 
and  are  killed. 

Then  Isilabdlona  commands  his  dog  to  go  down  and  lay  hold  of  the 
remaining  witch  by  the  tail  (sic)-,  this  he  does,  and  waits  for  the 
arrival  of  the  brothers.  The  rock  is  commanded  to  descend  ;  the 
brothers  leave  it,  and  Isilak6lona  binds  the  remaining  witch,  and 
takes  her  home.  Again  the  three  brothers  threaten  the  youngest  one, 
and  demand  that  he  would  give  up  his  prize  to  them,  but  he  now 
refuses;  so  they  go  home  to  their  father,  telling  him  that  the  three 
first  tasks  are  accomplished,  but  the  fourth  was  impracticable,  and  in 
fact  that  they  had  barely  escaped  with  their  lives.  The  father  then 
commands  that  the  people  be  gathered  together  to  rejoice  with  him; 
but  at  the  same  time  asks  the  three  brothers  if  any  one  went  with 
them  to  help  them.  They  deny  this,  protesting  that  they  alone  had 
done  the  work. 

ITie  people  being  assembled,  the  father  presents  the  three  brothers, 
asking  if  any  one  helped  them  to  get  the  white  guinea-fowl.  So  Isila- 
k6lona  rose  and  said  that  he  alone  caught  the  bird,  which  was  taken 
by  them  from  him  by  force.  The  same  questions  were  put  about  the 
red  bees  and  the  bull,  and  the  same  answers  returned;  and  then  the 
father  inquired  about  the  witches,  to  which  Isilak6lona  replied  that  he 
had  captured  lampelamunanbho,  and  had  her  then  in  his  house.  So 
he  brought  her  to  his  father.  Then  Andnanjatbvo  decided  that  the 
three  brothers  should  be  cast  off  and  become  the  slaves  of  their 
youngest  brother,  because  he  had  achieved  great  feats  never  before 
accomplished,  while  they  had  deceived  the  king.  So  Isilak6lona  was 
exalted  and  became  king,  because  of  his  patience  in  bearing  the 
injuries  done  to  him  by  his  three  brothers. 

The  last  story  of  which  we  shall  give  an  outline  is  entitled— 


•  The  native  loin-cloth  is  often  of  considerable  length,  and  the  lamba  can 
easily  be  torn  into  long  narrow  strips. 


r 


MALAGASY  FOLK-TALES.  133 


Rap  Aran  6mby. 


The  hero  of  this  story,  a  chief  named  Andriamihamina,  is  desirous 
of  getting  a  third  wife,  and,  being  unsuccessful,  goes  for  advice  to  an 
old  man  named  Ranguhibeatbdihao.  The  old  man,  in  return  for  a 
small  service  (commonly  enough  rendered  by  one  native  to  another, 
but  needless  to  be  particularised  here),  tells  his  visitor  to  go  along  the 
banks  of  a  large  river,  and  then  go  up  to  a  town  he  will  see,  together 
with  all  kinds  of  musical  instruments.  There  he  will  find  two  women 
who  are  mother  and  daughter,  but  who  are  so  alike  that  it  is  impos- 
sible to  tell  which  is  the  younger.  But  he  gives  him  a  wasp,  which 
he  is  to  let  go  ;  the  daughter  will  cry  out,  "  Oh  dear !  I'm  killed, 
mother  !  "  so  that  she  will  be  immediately  known. 

Andriamihamina  accordingly  goes  off,  rows  down  the  river,  comes 
to  the  town,  and  goes  up  to  it  with  drums  and  music.  Arrived  at  the 
gateway,  he  sends  in  word  that  a  stranger  is  come  to  visit  the  chief. 
He  is  received  with  the  usual  native  hospitality,  an  ox  is  killed  for 
him  and  his  followers,  and  he  eats.  After  the  meal,  the  chief,  father 
of  the  girl  his  visitor  wishes  to  marry,  inquires  the  errand  of  his 
guest.  The  latter  says  that  he  has  come  to  seek  a  wife,  and  inquires 
whether  his  host  is  willing  to  give  him  one.  The  chief  replies  that  he 
is  perfectly  willing,  but  his  wife  and  daughter  are  alike  in  appearance, 
and  he  must  find  out  which  is  the  daughter,  and,  if  successful,  he 
shall  take  her  for  his  wife.  Andriamihamina  tries  to  find  out,  but  is 
unable  ;  so  he  sets  free  the  wasp,  the  daughter  cries  out  as  the  old 
man  had  predicted,  and  he  claims  her  for  his  wife,  to  which  the  father 
consents,  and  in  due  time  he  sets  off  to  take  her  home.  Before  their 
departure,  however,  the  mother  warns  the  bridegroom  that  his  wife  is 
a  girl  who  will  not  fetch  fuel  or  pound  rice,  or  collect  manure  or  do 
work  in  the  field,  so  that  if  he  cannot  put  up  with  this  he  had  better 
leave  her.  But  he  replies  that  if  she  will  do  none  of  these  things  he 
will  do  the  work  himself,  and  then  she  will  surely  join  him.  To  this 
the  mother  agrees,  and  gives  her  daughter  a  slave-girl  named  Itam- 
barira  to  attend  her.     So  they  went  off  home. 

The  journey  back  was  made  by  canoe,  and,  as  they  came  near  to  the 
old  man's  house,  Itambarira  proposed  to  Rafara  that  they  should 


134  MALAGASY  FOLK-TALES. 

bathe  as  the  day  was  hot.  Raf^ra  refused  at  first,  but  as  the  slave- 
girl  pressed  her  she  at  length  consented,  Andriamihamina  being  asked 
to  go  on.  As  the  girls  bathed  the  slave  proposed  that  they  should 
dive,  and  that  the  one  that  did  not  go  deep  should  be  pinched.  So 
Ilafara  dived,  but  Itambarira  immediately  rose  up  and  put  on  her 
mistress's  clothes  and  ornaments,  and  followed  Andriamihamina, 
calling  out  to  him  to  wait  for  her.  This  he  did,  but  did  not  know  her 
to  be  the  slave,  as  the  two  were  very  much  alike.  And  as  they  passed 
the  old  man's  house  he  called  out  to  him  that  he  had  obtained  his 
desire. 

After  some  time  Rafara  emerged  from  the  water,  but  could  not  find 
her  slave-girl,  nor  her  clothes  and  ornaments.  But  she  went  on  her 
way,  inquiring  of  the  old  man  as  she  passed  his  house  if  he  had  seen 
her  slave,  and  explaining  how  she  had  been  deceived,  and  telling  her 
perplexity.  He  advised  her  to  follow,  telling  her  she  should  overtake 
in  the  end.  She  accordingly  did  so,  calling  out  to  her  husband  that 
he  had  taken  the  evil  and  left  the  good.  But,  although  Andriami- 
hamina heard  her  call,  he  took  it  to  be  the  voice  of  a  bird,  and  bid  the 
rowers  ply  their  paddles. 

As  soon  as  Rafara  perceived  that,  she  invoked  her  ancestors,  and 
commanded  that  there  should  appear  many  oranges  growing  in  front 
of  them.  This  came  to  pass,  and  Andriamihamina  wished  to  stop  and 
pluck  them,  but  Itambarira  said  she  would  not  eat,  but  others  could 
do  as  they  liked.  The  husband,  however,  would  not  stay  as  his  wife 
(as  he  supposed)  did  not  care  for  the  fruit.  So  they  went  on.  In  a 
little  while  Rafara  came  up,  but  was  astonished  to  find  that  the 
oranges  were  untouched,  so  she  called  again  ;  but  again  her  husband 
thought  it  the  voice  of  a  bird,  and  bade  them  row  faster. 

Then  Rafara  invoked  her  ancestors  again,  and  willed  that  ripe  and 
large  sugar-canes  should  appear  before  the  canoe.  Again  her  husband 
wished  to  stay  to  get  some  ;  again  the  slave  girl  refused  to  eat,  and 
again  they  proceeded  on  their  way.  And  again  Rafara  came  up, 
astonished  to  find  her  stratagem  unsuccessful,  and  called  to  her 
husband  to  stop,  but  with  the  same  result  as  before. 

As  they  were  now  nearing  home  Rafara  again  invoked  her  ancestors, 
and  commanded  that  young  and  tender  vegetables  (anamamy)  should 


MALAGASY  FOLK-TALES.  135 

grow  up  before  the  party  ascending  the  hill.  So  it  came  to  pass. 
Again  Andriamihrlmina  wished  to  stay  to  gather  some  ;  again  the 
slave-girl  refused  to  eat  any ;  and  again  they  proceeded  on  their  way. 

The  party  now  came  near  the  town,  messages  were  sent  for  food  to 
be  cooked,  clean  mats  to  be  spread,  and  the  people  to  make  ready  to 
receive  their  chief.  All  this  was  done  and  they  entered,  being  received 
with  honour.  After  a  little  while  Eafara  arrived  at  the  foot  of  the 
hill  and  sat  down  near  the  spring  where  water  was  drawn  ;  going  up 
presently  into  a  tree  near  it,  she  invoked  her  ancestors  again,  and 
willed  that  as  the  party  in  the  town  ate  there  should  be  no  water,  not 
even  any  saliva  ;  and  also  that  the  tree  might  become  dense  and  thick. 
And  so  it  came  to  pass. 

Meanwhile  they  could  not  induce  Itambarira  to  eat,  but  when  at 
last  pressed  she  said  she  liked  grasshoppers.  Andriamihamina 
accordingly  ordered  some  to  be  sought  for,  and  when  they  were 
brought  he  inquired  whether  she  liked  them  fried  or  stewed.  But  she 
replied  that  she  wished  every  one  to  go  outside  while  she  ate.  So 
every  one  was  sent  out  except  a  little  slave-girl,  who  was  concealed 
under  some  firewood.  Itambarira  then  broke  off  the  tails  of  the 
grasshoppers,  and  ate  them  all  in  that  fashion.  And  when  the  people 
were  again  admitted  the  child  began  to  chatter,  "  Oh  dear,  the  chiefs 
wife  has  a  tail !  "  upon  which  she  was  scolded  by  the  people. 

And  as  soon  as  Andriamihamina  entered,  he  called  for  water  to 
wash  out  his  mouth.  So  they  looked  for  some  in  the  water-pits,  but 
there  was  none ;  then  they  sought  in  the  neighbouring  houses,  but 
there  was  none  there  ;  so  they  sent  a  slave-girl  to  fetch  water.  But 
when  she  came  she  saw  the  reflection  of  Rafara's  face  in  the  pool,  and, 
thinking  it  her  own  shadow,  said,  "  Such  a  handsome  girl  as  I  am 
not  going  to  draw  water";  so  she  threw  down  her  water-pot  and  broke 
it.  Then  the  chief  sent  his  mother,  but  she  was  astonished  at  what 
she  thought  the  reflection  of  her  own  face,  and  said,  "  What  a  hand- 
some woman  I  am,  although  I  am  old  ! "  and  also  broke  the  vessel. 
Then  the  chief's  father  was  sent,  but  he  was  also  deceived,  and  broke 
the  water-pot.  At  last  he  determined  to  go  himself,  seeing  he  could 
get  no  water  ;  and  there  he  was  called  by  Rafara,  who  requested  he 
would  bring  her  her  jewels.     He  accordingly  returned  and  demanded 


136  MALAGASY  FOLK-TALES. 

them  of  Itambanra,  and  took  them  to  Rafara.  He  then  claimed  her 
as  his  wife,  but  she  refused  to  be  so  unless  he  killed  the  slave-girl, 
and  brought  her  blood  as  a  proof  of  having  done  so.  He  consented, 
but  attempted  to  deceive  her,  bringing  successively  the  blood  of  a 
fowl,  of  an  ox,  and  of  a  sheep  ;  but  could  not  deceive  her.  At  length 
he  drew  some  blood  from  the  hand  of  the  slave-girl,  and  Rafara  came 
at  last  into  the  town.  They  were  received  with  feasting  and  rejoicing; 
but  the  mistress  at  length  caused  the  slave-girl  to  be  put  to  death, 
and  then  was  married  to  Andriamihamina,  who  thus  obtained  bis 
desire  and  was  glad. 

The  Malagasy  folk-tales  now  given,  both  in  full  and  in  outline,  must 
here  suffice  as  specimens  of  this  hitherto  "  unwritten  literature "  of 
the  people  of  Madagascar.  My  knowledge  of  folk-lore  literature  is, 
I  regret  to  say,  far  too  limited  for  me  to  attempt  to  point  out  the 
points  of  resemblance  or  of  contrast  which  these  Malagasy  stories 
present  to  the  folk-tales  of  other  parts  of  the  world  ;  and  the  comple- 
tion of  these  translations  in  Mauritius,  while  waiting  to  return  to 
Madagascar,  has  prevented  me  from  making  any  reference  to  books  on 
the  subject,  or  from  gaining  the  help  of  folk-lorists  on  this  point.  I 
hope,  however,  that,  as  Madagascar  is  on  various  grounds  now  exciting 
considerable  attention  in  England,  some  students  of  comparative  folk- 
lore may  think  these  tales  worth  their  study,  and  may,  possibly  in 
some  future  issues  of  the  Folk-Lore  Journal,  give  the  members  of 
the  Society  the  benefit  of  their  examination  of  them.  My  object  in 
making  these  translations  will  have  been  accomplished  if  those  now 
offered  excite  a  greater  interest  in  the  people  of  Madagascar,  and 
especially  if  they  induce  others  to  do  in  a  more  complete  form  what  I 
have  here  attempted  in  a  very  imperfect  fashion. 


IbotIty. 

Although  given  in  Mr.  Dahle's  collection  among  the  folk-tales,  one 
of  these  stories  is  so  like  our  English  children's  play  of  ''The  House 
that  Jack  built,"  that  it  may  be  more  appropriately  given  in  this 
place.     It  is  as  follows: — 

Once  upon  a  time  this  Ibotity  went  and  climbed  a  tree;  and  when 


r 


MALAGASY  FOLK-TALES.  137 


the  wind  blew  hard  the  tree  was  broken ;  whereupon  Ibotity  fell  and 
broke  his  leg.  So  he  said,  "  The  tree  indeed  is  strong,  for  it  can 
break  the  leg  of  Ibotity." 

Then  said  the  tree,  "  I  am  not  strong,  for  it  is  the  wind  that  is 
strong."  Then  said  Ibotity,  "  The  wind  it  is  which  is  strong  !  for^the 
wind  broke  tree,  and  the  tree  broke  the  leg  of  Ibotity." 

"  I  am  not  strong,"  said  the  wind,  "  for  if  I  were  strong  should  I 
be  stopped  by  the  hill?  "  "  Ah,  it  is  the  hill  which  is  strong  !  "  said 
Ibotity,  "  for  the  hill  stopped  wind,  wind  broke  tree,  the  tree  broke  the 
leg  of  Ibotity." 

"  Nay,  I  am  not  strong,"  said  the  hill,  "  for  if  I  were  strong  I 
should  not  be  burrowed  by  the  mice."  "  Ah,  it  is  the  mouse  which  is 
strong  1  "  said  Ibotity,  "  for  mouse  burrowed  into  hill,  hill  stopped 
wind,  wind  broke  tree,  tree  broke  the  leg  of  Ibotity." 

"  Nay,  I  am  not  strong,"  said  the  mouse,  "  for  am  I  strong  who 
can  be  killed  by  the  cat  ? "  "Ah,  it  is  the  cat  which  is  strong! "  said 
Ibotity,  "for  the  cat  killed  mouse,  mouse  burrowed  into  hill,  hill 
stopped  wind,  wind  broke  tree,  tree  broke  the  leg  of  Ibotity." 

"  Nay,  I  am  not  strong,"  said  the  cat,  "  for  am  I  strong  who  am 
caught  by  the  rope  and  cannot  escape  ?  "  "  Ah,  it  is  the  rope  which 
is  strong,"  said  Ibotity,  "for  the  rope  caught  the  cat,  cat  killed  mouse, 
mouse  burrowed  into  hill,  hill  stopped  wind,  wind  broke  tree,  tree 
broke  the  leg  of  Ibotity." 

"  Nay,  I  am  not  strong,"  said  the  rope,  "  for  am  I  strong  and  am 
cut  by  the  iron  ?  "  "  Then  it  is  the  iron  which  is  strong,"  said 
Ibotity,  "for  the  iron  cut  rope,  rope  caught  cat,  cat  killed  mouse, 
mouse  burrowed  hill,  hill  stopped  wind,  wind  broke  tree,  tree  broke 
the  leg  of  Ibotity." 

"  Nay,  I  am  not  strong,"  said  the  iron,  "  for  am  I  strong  which 
am  softened  by  the  fire."  "  Ah,  it  is  the  fire  which  is  strong,"  said 
Ibotity. 

"  Nay,  I  am  not  strong,"  said  the  fire,  "  for  am  I  strong  and  am 
put  out  by  water  ?  "  "  Ah,  it  is  the  water  which  is  strong,"  said 
Ibotity,  *'  for  water  quenched  fire,  fire  softened  iron,  iron  cut  rope, 
rope  caught  cat,  cat  killed  mouse,  mouse  burrowed  hill,  hill  stopped 
wind,  wind  broke  tree,  tree  broke  the  leg  of  Ibotity." 


138  IKISH  FOLK-LORE. 

But  it  would  be  tedious  to  give  every  detail  in  full ;  suffice  it  to  say 
that  the  greatest  power  is  shifted  successively  from  the  water  to  the 
canoe,  from  the  canoe  to  the  rock,  from  the  rock  to  mankind,  from 
mankind  to  the  sorcerer,  from  the  sorcerer  to  the  tangena  (poison 
ordeal),  and  from  the  tangena  to  God.  The  last  and  complete  para- 
graph reading  thus  : — 

"  Nay,  I  am  not  strong,"  said  the  tangena,  "  for  God  overcomes 
me."  '*  Ah,  it  is  God  who  is  strong,*  said  Ibotity,  " for  God  ovei- 
came  tangena,  tangena  killed  sorcerer,  sorcerer  overcame  man,  man 
broke  rock,  rock  broke  canoe,  canoe  crossed  water,  water  quenched  fire, 
fire  softened  iron,  iron  cut  rope,  rope  caught  cat,  cat  killed  mouse, 
mouse  burrowed  hill,  hill  stopped  wind,  wind  broke  tree,  tree  broke 
the  leg  of  Ibotity." 

So  Ibotity  and  all  things  agreed  that  God  is  the  strongest  of  all, 
and  governs  all  things  in  the  world,  whether  in  the  heaven  above,  or 
on  the  earth  beneath,  or  underneath  the  earth,  or  to  the  verge  of  the 
sky,  for  God  will  bear  rule  for  ever  and  ever. 


IRISH  FOLK-LORE. 

[Reprinted  from  A  Statistical  Account  or  Parochial  Survey  of  Ireland,  drawn 
from  the  communications  of  the  Clergy,  by  William  Shaw  Mason.  Dublin, 
London,  and  Edinburgh.    1814-1819.    8vo.    3  vols.] 

1.  Parish  of  Aghahoe  {Queen's  County). 

St.  Canice's  Well  was  in  my  orchard  in  Aghaboe :  there  the  pedlars 
laid  down  their  packs  and  said  their  prayers.  About  a  quarter  of  a 
mile  distant  from  the  town  was  a  group  of  thorn-bushes,  called  after 
St.  Canice,  there  likewise  the  poor  people  performed  their  devotions. 
—(Vol.  i.  p.  42.) 

2.  Parish  of  Ardhraccan  {Meath). 

At  Telltown  (Tailtean)  games  similar  to  the  Olympian  were  held 


IKISH  FOLK-LORE.  139 

for  fifteen  days  before  and  fifteen  days  after  the  1st  of  August,  and 
young  persons  were  given  in  marriage. — (Vol.  i.  p.  95.) 

Multitudes  of  the  pious  assembled  at  St.  Bridget's  Cross,  on  the 
lands  of  Martry,  on  the  1st  of  February,  to  offer  up  their  supplications 
to  this  holy  personage.  This  custom  has  been  for  some  years  dis- 
continued ;  however,  a  considerable  number  of  the  Popish  clergy  con- 
tinue to  assemble  and  to  perform  the  rites  of  their  religion  on  the 
saint's  day  (1st  February)  at  a  farmer's  house  near  the  place  where 
the  cross  was  situated. — (Vol.  i.  p.  96.) 

3.  Parish  of  Ardstraw. 

The  castle  above  Newtown  Stewart  belonged  to  Henry  O'Neal,  who, 
according  to  tradition,  was  King  of  Ulster  in  the  fifth  century ;  he 
had  a  sister  who  is  represented  as  having  an  elegant  person  but  the 
head  of  a  swine :  and  hence  called  the  female  monster.  Henry, 
anxious  to  get  rid  of  an  object  that  mortified  his  feelings  and  his 
pride,  adopted  the  plan  of  offering  her  in  marriage  to  any  person  who 
should  seem  inclined  to  propose  for  her,  but  on  condition  that  after 
having  seen  her  he  should  either  marry  or  hang.  Accordingly  nine- 
teen persons,  among  whom  was  a  captive  prince,  who  had  agreed  to 
the  condition,  were  all  executed  on  the  platform  before  his  castle; 
and  tradition  says  the  twentieth  and  last  person  who  proposed  for 
her  was  the  son  of  his  own  cowherd,  who  was  tempted  by  the  mag- 
nitude of  her  dowry,  but  who  on  seeing  her  immediately  exclaimed, 
•'  Cur  sous  me  !  cur  sous  me  !  " — that  is,  "  Hang  me  !  hang  me  !  " 
The  young  man,  however,  was  spared,  and  the  unfortunate  princess 
put  to  death.— (Vol.  i.  p.  116.) 

With  respect  to  customs,  among  the  lower  orders,  the  married  women 
are  generally  called  by  their  maiden  names ;  strolling-beggars  will 
enter  the  house  of  a  farmer  or  gentleman  with  as  much  ease  and 
freedom  as  if  they  were  part  of  the  family. — (Vol.  i.  p.  123.) 

There  are  no  patrons  nor  public  sports  except  playing  at  common 
— this  diversion  resembles  hurling  in  the  south.  The  ball  they  play 
with  is  a  small  wooden  one,  which  they  strike  with  sticks  inflected  at 
one  end.  In  the  south  of  Ireland  the  curve  of  the  hurl  is  broad, 
and  the  ball  large  and  of   a    soft   substance  covered   with  leather. 


140  IRISH  FOLK-LORE. 

Formerly  they  spent  here  eleven  days  successively  at  Christmas-time 
in  this  exercise,  now  they  spend  only  one.  Fires  are  lighted  on  Mid- 
summer's Eve  round  which  they  drive  their  cattle  to  preserve  them, 
as  they  believe  it  will,  from  accidents  during  the  year  ;  they  believe 
also  in  the  existence  of  fairies,  and  are  very  cautious  not  to  say  any- 
thing disrespectful  of  them.  If  any  article  of  household  furniture 
happens  to  be  misplaced,  they  attribute  it  to  the  wee-people,  as  they 
call  them,  who  stood  in  need  of  it  at  the  time. 

A  friend  of  mine  who  lived  a  few  years  ago  in  a  mountainy  situa- 
tion, assured  me  of  the  following  fact :  That  his  wife  stepped  quietly 
one  day  into  a  neighbouring  house,  when  the  family  were  out  at  work, 
and  put  an  egg  and  an  oaten-cake  to  the  fire,  inverting  at  the  same 
time  all  the  little  furniture  of  the  place.  Soon  after,  conversing 
with  the  old  woman  of  the  family,  she  endeavoured  in  an  indirect 
way  to  find  out  what  impression  the  incident  had  made  on  her ;  but 
the  woman,  though  communicative  in  other  matters,  kept  this  a  pro- 
found secret,  from  which  it  was  inferred  that  she  was  afraid  to  mention 
it  lest  her  little  friends  might  not  pay  her  another  kind  visit. — (Vol.  i. 
pp.  123-125.) 

4.  Parish  of  Ballintog. 

There  are  no  patrons  nor  patron  days,  nor  any  particular  customs, 
except  that  on  Christmas  day  and  on  the  first  of  the  year  a  great 
concourse  of  people  assemble  on  the  strand,  at  White  Park,  to  play 
common  or  shinny. — (Vol.  i.  p.  157.) 

5.  Parish  of  Clonmany. 

The  titular  saint,  or,  as  some  express  it,  the  guardian  saint  of  this 
parish,  is  Columbkill.  The  9th  June  is  his  festival  day,  and  is 
observed  most  ceremoniously  by  some  of  the  old  people  in  the  parish : 
on  that  day  they  circumambulate  certain  places,  repeating  certain 
prayers,  deified,  as  it  were,  by  him.  Men  formerly  drove  down  their 
cattle  to  the  beach  on  that  day,  and  swam  them  in  that  part  of  the 
sea  into  which  runs  the  water  of  St.  Columb's  Well,  which  is  thereby 
made  holy  water  ;  but  this  custom  of  late  has  not  been  practised. 
There  is  also  a  traditional  story  told  here,  that  the  earth  of  a  little 
hillock  {tempo  desh),  on  the  right  of  the  road  leading  from  the  chapel 


IRISH  FOLK-LORE.  141 

to  the  church,  formerly  expelled  all  mice  and  rats,  until  the  earth  of 
it  was  vended,  when  its  expelling  power  ceased ;  still,  however,  they 
carry  all  their  dead  around  it,  as  being  an  ancient  custom.  There  is 
a  circular  flat  stone  in  the  centre  of  the  churchyard,  about  fourteen 
inches  in  diameter,  on  which  are  two  round  little  hollow  places,  which 
they  say  are  prints  of  St.  Columb's  knees. — (Vol.  i.  p.  185.) 

6.  Parish  oj  Dungiven. 

There  is  a  curious  fragment  of  an  Irish  poem  preserved  among 
the  mountaineers  respecting  the  name  of  the  Roe  (^Ahrain  Ruabh). 
According  to  this,  it  is  derived  from  the  name  of  a  Saxon  heroine, 
called  Ruadh,  who,  having  by  her  martial  prowess  carried  terror  and 
desolation  through  the  adjoining  counties,  was  at  length  drowned  in 
crossing  the  Roe  during  a  flood.  The  river  is  here  celebrated  for 
having  overcome  this  terrible  fair  one,  whom  the  Lagan  and  the  mighty 
Bann  had  been  unable  to  restrain.  The  most  remarkable  circum- 
stance in  the  poem  is  a  prophecy,  in  which  it  is  foretold  that  this 
stream  will  be  more  destructive  to  the  lives  of  men  than  the  largest 
rivers  in  the  North — a  melancholy  prediction,  which  the  loss  of  above 
twenty  valuable  lives  within  the  memory  of  persons  now  living  has 
but  too  faithfully  and  fatally  fulfilled.— (Vol.  i.  p.  285,  note.) 

The  poems  attributed  to  Ossian  and  other  bardic  remains  are  still 
repeated  here  by  the  old  Senachies  (as  they  are  called)  with  visible 
exultation.  Eight  of  them  have  been  written  down  at  my  rec[uest 
by  a  young  mountaineer  named  Bernard  MacLoskie,  from  whose 
acquaintance  with  the  native  traditions,  customs,  and  language,  the 
writer  derived  much  assistance  in  this  Survey :  he  is  himself  a  good 
Latin  scholar,  and  possesses  by  every  account  a  critical  knowledge  of 
the  ancient  Irish,  These  poetic  records  have  been  handed  down  from 
time  immemorial  by  tradition  alone,  nor  is  it  apparent  whether  they 
ever  existed  here  in  manuscript. 

A  curious  evidence  of  the  accuracy  of  tradition  in  preserving  these 
remains  may  be  noticed.  Two  of  the  poems  transcribed,  namely, 
Deirdri  (the  Darthula  of  Macpherson)  and  Tailc,  had  been  already 
published  from  southern  manuscripts  in  a  volume  entitled  Trans- 
actions of  the  Gaelic  Society.  This  book,  which  was  accidentally  in 
the  writer's   possession,  afforded  an   opportunity  of  comparing   the 


142  THE  FOLK-LORE  OF  DRAYTON. 

poems  taken  from  viva  voce  recitation  with  the  printed  copy;  and, 
strange  as  it  may  seem,  they  were  found  to  agree  together  word  for 
word,  with  the  exception  however  of  a  few  lines  in  Deirdri  and  four 
entire  stanzas  in  Tailc,  which  the  written  record  has  evidently  lost 
and  tradition  preserved. 

The  manner  of  preserving  the  accuracy  of  tradition  is  singular  and 
worthy  of  notice.  In  the  winter  evenings  a  number  of  Senachies  fre- 
quently meet  together  and  recite  alternately  their  traditionary  stories. 
If  any  one  repeats  a  passage  which  appears  to  another  to  be  incorrect 
he  is  immediately  stopped,  when  each  gives  a  reason  for  his  way  of 
reciting  the  passage.  The  dispute  is  then  referred  to  a  vote  of  the 
meeting,  and  the  decision  of  the  majority  becomes  imperative  on  the 
subject  for  the  future.— (Vol.  i.  pp.  317-318.) 

(To  be  continued.) 


THE  FOLK-LORE  OF  DRAYTON. 

PART  I. — Drayton's  attitude  with  regard  to  Folk-Lore 
Romances — Ballads — Plants — Springs,  &c. — (Continued 
from  page  120.) 

N  annotating  Aubrey's  Remaines  of  Gentilisme  and  Juda- 
isme*  Dr.  White  Kennett  bore  testimony  to  the  existence 
of  the  practice  of  wearing  the  willow  in  his  time  :  *'  The 
young  man,  whose  late  sweetheart  is  married  to  some 
other  person,  does  often  in  a  frolique  literally  wear  a  willow  garland, 
as  I  have  seen  in  some  parts  of  Oxfordshire."  Centuries  earlier  the 
Jews  of  the  Babylonish  Captivity  had  hung  their  silenced  harps  on — 
if  our  translators  were  right— the  willows,f  which  were  by  the  rivers 
of  their  land  of  exile :  may  be  because  the  bowed  down  or  weeping 

*  See  PuhlicatUms  of  tlui  Folk-Lore  Society,  No,  iv.  p.  75. 
t  Psalm  cxxxvii.  2,  Bible  version. 


THE  FOLK-LORE  OF  DRAYTON.  143 

habit  of  one  variety  causes  it  to  look  as  though  it  had  a  special 
sympathy  with  sorrow.  Love-lorn  Ophelia  met  her  end  in  an  endeavour 
to  place  a  garland  of  nettles  and  what-not  on  the  boughs  of  a  willow 
that  grew  aslant  a  brook.*  Another  reference,  Drayton  has,  to  what 
his  friend  Spencer  f  spoke  of  as 

"  The  willow  wome  of  forlone  paramours," 

in  what  seems  to  me  to  be  an  interesting  passage  on  the  plants 
appropriate  for  chaplets  J  — 

"  The  garland  long  ago  was  worn, 
As  time  pleased  to  bestow  it, 
The  laurel  only  to  adorn 
The  conqueror  and  the  poet. 
The  palm  his  due  who  uncontroul'd 
On  danger  looking  gravely, 
When  fate  had  done  the  worst  it  could. 
Who  bore  his  fortunes  bravely. 
Most  worthy  of  the  oaken- wreath 
f  The  ancients  him  esteemed, 

Who  in  a  battle  had  from  death. 

Some  man  of  worth  redeemed. 

About  his  temples  grass  they  tie 

Himself  that  so  behaved, 

In  some  strong  siege  by  th'  enemy, 

A  city  that  hath  saved. 

A  wreath  of  vervain  heralds  wear, 

Amongst  our  garlands  named, 

Being  sent  that  dreadful  news  to  bear, 

Offensive  war  proclaimed. 

The  sign  of  peace  who  first  displays. 

The  olive  wreath  possesses  : 

The  lover  with  the  myrtle  sprays 

Adoi-ns  his  crisped  tresses. 

In  love  the  sad  forsaken  wight 

The  willow  garland  weareth  : 

The  funeral  man,  befitting  night, 

The  baleful  cypress  beareth. 

To  Pan  we  dedicate  the  pine. 

Whose  slips  the  shepherd  graceth  : 

Again  the  ivy  and  the  vine 

On  his  swol'n  Bacchus  placeth." 

*  Hamlet,  act  iv.  sc.  7.  f  Faerie  Queen,  book  i.  chap.  i.  v.  9. 

X  Nymphal,  v.  [iv.  14851. 


144  THE  FOLK-LORE  OF  DRAYTON. 

In  the  sixth  Eclogue  *  Winken  speaks  of  the  "  mournful  cypress  " 
and  "sad  widowing  yew;"  widowing,  I  suppose,  because  of  its  pre- 
sumed fatal  effect  on  any  shepherd  who  might  be  tempted  to  sleep  in 
its  shape.  *'  Yew,"  wrote  Dodoens,  in  his  Historie  of  Flants,-\  "  is 
not  profitable  for  man's  bodie,  for  it  is  so  hurtfull  and  venemous  that 
such  as  doe  but  only  sleepe  under  the  shadow  thereof  become  sicke, 
and  sometimes  they  die,  especially  when  it  bloweth  :  in  Gascoigne  it 
is  most  dangerous."  The  epithet  "  sad,"  applied  to  the  cypress,  has 
become  proper  from  the  association  of  the  tree  with  oriental  burial- 
places,  and  with  our  own  cemeteries.  Perhaps,  originally,  it  may 
have  been  planted  by  graves  as  a  type  of  immortality,  for  the  wood  is 
very  long-lasting,  and  I  have  seen  Theophrastus  quoted  to  the  effect 
that  the  roofs  of  some  ancient  temples  became  famous  because  they 
were  made  of  it ;  the  timbers  of  the  rafters  being  everlasting,  and  free 
from  rot  and  cobweb  and  other  evils  to  which  wood  generally  is 
liable. 

Of  bridal  flowers  we  have  a  lengthy  list  in  the  stirring  account  of 
one  of  the  many  watery  weddings  in  which  the  reader  of  the 
Polyolbion  is  supposed  to  interest  himself,  that  of  Tame  and 
Isis.  J  For  the  adornment  of  the  bridegroom,  wild  blossoms  were 
chosen  as  being  in  keeping  with  his  manly  nature  ;  but  all  the  spoils 
of  the  garden  were  woven  into  the  •*  anadems  "  §  and  other  devices 
which  were  to  do  honour  to  the  bride.  I  do  not  give  the  passage  at 
length  because,  though  there  is  no  doubt  one  might  distil  significance 
from  every  bud  that  was  pressed  into  the  service  of  "  the  happy  pair," 
Drayton  does  not  give  any  hints  to  help  one,  and  the  nymphs  and 
naiads  seem  to  have  used  whatever  came  to  hand,  merely  making  the 
distinction  I  have  named  between  wild  and  cultivated  flowers.  It 
may  be  well,  however,  to  record  the  names  of  the  herbs  that  were 
strewn  about  on  the  occasion  by  the  bridesmaids  as  the  poet  tells  us 
they  were  such  **  at  bridals  us'd  that  be."  ||     I  do  not  know  that  there 


t  P.  557  of  the  translation  by  Henry  Lyte  (1578). 
X  Pol.  XV,  [iii.  945,  &c.l  §  Chaplets. 

II  In  the  poem  concerning  the  marriage  of  Tita  and  the  Fay  {Nymjfhal,  viii. 
[iv.  1511-13]),  mention  is  made  of  the  customs  of  breaking  cake  over  the  bride's 


THE  FOLK-LORE  OF  DRAYTON.  145 

is  as  complete  a  catalogue  of  wedding  strewments  to  be  found  else- 
where in  verse,  but  Tusser's*  list  of  "  Strowing  lierbes  of  all  sorts  " 
answers  to  the  same  end  in  prose. 

"  The  healthful  balm  and  mint  from  their  full  laps  do  fly, 
The  scentful  camomile,  the  verd'rous  costmary  ;  t 
They  hot  muscado  J  oft  with  milder  maudlin  §  cast; 
Strong  tansy,  fennel  cool,  they  prodigally  waste  : 
Clear  hysop,  and  therewith  the  comfortable  thyme. 
Germander  ||  with  the  rest,  each  thing  then  in  her  prime  ; 
As  well  of  wholesome  herbs  as  every  pleasant  flower, 
Which  nature  here  produc'd  to  fit  this  happy  hour. 
Amongst  these  strewing  kinds  some  other  wild  that  grow 
As  burnet  %  all  abroad,  and  meadow  wort  **  they  throw." 

Of  wort-cunning  Drayton  has  some  store :  let  us  hear  what  he  has  to 
tell  us  :  tt— 

"  Of  simples  in  these  groves  that  grow, 
We'll  learn  the  perfect  skill. 
The  nature  of  each  herb  to  know. 
Which  cures  and  which  can  kill." 

How  much  of  the  knowledge  imparted  was  picked  up  from  old 


head,  drinking  posset,  catching  points  from  the  bridegroom,  and  scrambling  for 
nuts.  These  observances  seem  to  have  been  omitted  at  the  otherwise  well- 
appointed  nuptial  of  Tame  and  Isis.  Short-cake,  or  bride-cake,  is  still  showered 
over  the  heads  of  some  northerly  brides  (Henderson's  Font-Lore  of  the  Northern 
Counties  (F.L.S.)?  P-  36;  Gregor's  Folk-Lore  of  the  North-East  of  Scotland 
(F.L.S.),  p.  99;  Brand's  Popular  Antiqiiities  (Bohn's  edition),  vol.  ii.  pp.  101, 
102). 

*  See  Five  Hundred  Points  of  Good  Husbandrie  (E.D.S.),  p.  42. 

f  Tanacetuvi  balsatnita,  or,  as  Gerarde  says,  Balsaniita  mas, 

X  Muscadine,  or  muscadel,  wine  was  drunk  in  church  at  a  wedding  (see 
The  Taming  of  the  Shrew,  act  iii.  sc.  2) ;  but  here,  I  think,  we  have  reference 
to  some  herb ;  may  be  to  Ei'odium  moschatrim.    Lelipa,  making  a  wreath  in 
the  fifth  Nymphal,  mixes  muscado  with  lavender,  bay,  &c.  amongst — 
"  Germander,  marjoram,  and  thyme. 
Which  used  are  for  strewing," 

§  Balsamitafem.  or  vnlgans. 

II  Teucrium  chamcedrys. 

\  Sanguis  orhia  officinalis. 

**  Spirea  ulmaria. 

tt  Q^iest  of  Ognthia  [ii.  626]. 

Vol.  2.— Part  5.  l 


146  THE  FOLK-LOllE  OF  DKAYTON. 

wives,  and  how  much  culled  from  books — from  Gerarde  and  Dodoens 
to  wit— we  need  hardly  stay  to  inquire.* 

The  hermit  of  Arden,  whose  praise  is  in  Polyolbion,  sallies  forth 
with  a  little  maund  to  gather  herbs  which  have  sundry  strange  effects 
upon  mankind. f  He  finds  "on  an  oak,  rheum-purging  polypode  " 
{Pohjpodium  vulgare)^  which,  according  to  Clarinax,  another  recluse 
herbalist,  is  also  good  "  to  purge  old  rotten  humours."  J  After  re- 
marking that  the  kind  which  grows  on  an  oak  is  accounted  best, 
though  its  rarity  interferes  with  the  common  use  of  it,  Culpepper 
quaintly  exclaims, §  "And  why,  I  pray  you,  must  Polypodium  of  the 
oak  only  be  used  ?  Gentle  CoUedge  of  Physitians,  can  you  give  me 
but  a  glimpse  of  reason  for  it  ?  Is  it  only  because  it  is  dearest  ?  Will 
you  never  leave  your  Covetousness  till  your  lives  leave  you  ?  The 
truth  is,  That  which  grows  on  earth  is  best  ('tis  an  Herb  of  Saturn, 
and  he  seldom  climbs  Trees)  to  purge  Melancholy  ;  if  the  humour  be 
otherwise,  choose  your  Polypodium  accordingly." 

Keeping  an  interested  eye  on  the  selections  of  the  hermit,  and  com- 
paring them  with  the  simples  in  favour  with  Clarinax,  we  learn  that 
fumitory  (Fumaria  officinalis)  and  eyebright  (^Euphrasia  officinalis) 
are  good  for  the  sight.  Yarrow  figures  as  a  styptic,  though 
curiously  enough  it  has  for  centuries  been  popularly  called  nose-bleed, 
and  it  has  the  reputation  of  producing  sanguinary  results  in  any 
nostril  into  which  it  may  be  introduced.  Its  fame  as  a  medicinal 
agent  is  of  very  ancient  date  :  it  actually  owes  its  botanical  name, 
Achillea  millefolium^  to  the  legend  that  Achilles  discovered  it,  and 
applied  it  for  the  benefit  of  wounded  men,  who,  to  return  to  Drayton, 
may  also  be  helped  by  centory  (Chlora  perfoliata).  Tutsan 
{Clymenon  Italiorum)  is  thought  by  Gerarde  ||  to  signify  Tout  sain, 

*   •*  Of  these  most  helpful  herbs  yet  tell  we  but  a  few 

To  those  unnumb'red  sorts  of  simples  here  that  grew, 
Which  justly  to  set  down  even  Dodon  short  doth  fal  , 
Nor  skilful  Gerard  yet  shall  ever  find  them  a.l\:*—PoL  xiii.  [iii.  920]. 

t  Pol.  xiii.  [iii.  919,  &c.] 
X  Nymph.  V.  [iv.  1490]. 

§  The  Engligh  Phyftitian  Enlarged  (1661),  p.  193. 

II  Tlie  Theater  of  Plants,  or  an  Uhivermll  and  Compleat  Herball  (1597) , 
p.  435. 


THE  FOLK-LORE  OF  DRAYTON.  147 

from  the  all-healing  qualities  which  it  shares  with  "blessed  betony  " 
{Stachijs  hetonica) — 

"  Whose  cures  deserven  writing." 
An  extraordinary  number  of  virtues  are  attributed  to  it  in  one  of  the 
First-English  MSS.  translated  by  the  late  Rev.  Oswald  Cockayne :  it 
is  remarked,  "it  is  good,  whether  for  the  man's  soul  or  for  his  body."* 

"  Holy  Vervain  "  (  Verbena  sacra)  the  hermit  regarded  as  a  specific 
for  megrim  or  aching  of  one  side  of  the  head,  if  the  sufferer  bound  it 
round  his  head  as  a  coronal.     It  was  also  efficacious  in  cases  of  witch- 
craft, and  so  was  "  wonder-working  dill  "  f  {Anethrum  graveolens), 
"  Which  curious  women  use  in  many  a  nice  disease." 

Moly  {Allium  molt/),  called  by  Gerarde,  sorcerer's  garlic,  lunary 
{Lunaria  biennis^  or  BotrycJiium  lunaria),  and  nightshade  {Atropa 
belladonna),  were  likewise  valuable  to  produce  enchantments,  of  which 
I  shall  have  more  to  say  presently.  The  effect  of  henbane  {Hyoscy- 
amus  niger),  poppy  and  hemlock  (Conium  maculatum),  in  "  producing 
deadly  sleeping,"  was  not  unknown  to  Clarinax.     These  he  did — 

"  Minister  with  fear, 
Not  fit  for  each  man's  keeping," 

his  cautious  nature  standing  in  the  stead  of  a  Sale  of  Poisons  Act. 
Garlic  (Allium  sativum)  by  the  way  is  called  "  the  poor  man's 
Mithridate,"  or  preservative  against  poison,  in  the  twentieth  Song  of 
Folyolbion.lf. 

Adder's  tongue  {Ophioglossum  vulgatum)  was  created  "its  own  like 
to  cure":  it  was  for  the  benefit  of  those  "  with  newts,  or  snakes,  or 
adders  stung."  Probably  there  is  no  belief  which  is  more  firmly  held 
by  country-folk  than  that  here  subscribed  to  by  Drayton,  that  newts 
are  poisonous.  I  well  remember  being  awe-stricken  as  a  child  on 
being  told  that  a  woman  had  her  arm  "  venomed  "  by  a  newt,  although 
she  never  touched  the  reptile  with  anything  more  sensitive  than  the 
head  of  a  mop,  the  stick,  as  far  as  it  was  given  to  me  to  understand 
the  story,  having  acted  as  a  conductor  of  the  subtle  bale.  The  Rev. 
J.  G.  Wood,  in  Common  Objects  of  the  Country,^  gives  some  amus- 

•  Leechdoms,  Wort  cunning,  and  Star  craft  in  Early  England,  p.  71. 

t  See  also  Nyviphidia  [ii.  463] . 

X  [iii.  1040.]  §  Pp.  49-52. 

l2 


148  THE  FOLK-LOUE  OF  DRAYTON. 

ing  instances  of  the  same  kind  of  thing.  Another  medicament  for 
sorpent-stings  was  agrimony  or  ogrimony  {Agrimmia  Ewpatorid), 
which  with  saxifrage  {Saxifraga  granulata),  hart's  tongue  {Scolop- 
endrhim  vulgare),  and  "the  herb  we  call  St.  John  "  (^Hypericum  per- 
foratum), was  given  with  hope  of  cure  to  those  afflicted  with  calculous 
disease.  Valerian  (  FaZ«r?"ana  officinalis)  was  cropped  and  duly  bruised, 
"  T'apply  unto  the  place  that's  haled  with  cramp." 
Mugwort  {Artemesia  vulgaris)  came  into  use  both  in  magic  and  in 
the  nursery  ;  and  humble  chickweed  (^Stellaria  media)  was,  for  external 
application,  accredited  with  the  cooling  property  of  Rowland's  costly 
Kalydor  ;  whilst  sorrel  {Eumex  acetosa)  assuaged  internal  heat.  The 
power  of  mandrake  (Atropa  rnandragord),  in  philtres,  to  procure  love, 
and,  worn  about  the  body,  to  correct  barrenness,  was  unduly  recognised. 
The  spleen  and  liver  derived  comfort  from  horehound  (^Manmhriiim 
vulgare),  and  so— at  least  mentally — did  he  who  was  bitten  by  a 
rabid  dog.  Dictam  {Dictamnum  creticum)  had  the  power  of  expelling 
darts,  &c. :  "  the  Hart  being  pierced  with  the  dart,"  says  John  Lyly  * 
(who  has  a  greater  charm  for  the  present  writer  than  he  had  for 
Drayton),  "runneth  out  of  hand  to  the  hearb  Dictamnum,  and  is  healed." 
Dodder  (Cusenta)  was  a  remedy  for  ague  ;  mallow  (Malva  s}/lvestris) 
was  applied  to  sudden  tumours  ;  whilst  Mercury  {Chenopodium  bonus 
Henricus)  and  hellebore  {Hellehonis  niger)  mundified  old  ulcers,  the 
latter  having,  as  we  shall  hear  directly,  another  virtue — 

"  To  him  that  hath  a  flux  of  shepherd's  purse  f  he  gives, 
And  mouse  ear  \.  unto  him  that  some  sharp  rupture  grieves  ; 
And  for  the  labouring  wretch  that's  troubled  with  a  cough, 
Or  stopping  of  the  breath,  by  phlegm  that's  hard  and  tough  ; 
Campana  §  here  he  crops  approved  wondrous  good, 
As  comfrey  ||  unto  him  that's  bruised,  spitting  blood, 
And  from  the  falling  ill  by  five-leaf  ^  doth  restore, 
And  melancholy  cures  by  sovereign  hellebore." 

Culpepper  **  remarks  of  five-leaved  grass,  "  Some  hold  that  one 
leaf  cures  a  Quotidian,  three  a  Tertian,  and  four  a  Quartan  Ague,  and 

»  Eiipkues  (Arber's  edition),  p.  61.  f  Pera pattoru, 

\  Ilieracium  jfUosella.  §  Lychnis. 

II  Symj)hytum  officinale.  5  Fotentilla  reptam. 
**  The  English  Physitian  Enlarged,  p.  69. 


THE  FOLK-LORE  OF  DRAYTON.  149 

a  hundred  to  one  if  it  be  not  Biascorides,  for  he  is  full  of  Ruch  whim- 
sies; The  truth  is,  I  never  stood  so  much  upon  the  number  of  the 
leaves,  nor  whether  I  gave  it  in  powder  or  decoction ;  if  " — continues 
this  common-sense  Englishman — "  Jupiter  were  strong,  and  the  moon 
applying  to  him  or  his  good  Aspect  at  the  gathering,  I  never  knew  it 
miss  the  desired  effects."  Jupiter  and  the  moon  ;  there  was  the  rub  ! 
According  to  Drayton,  ♦  it  was  one  of  the  privileges  of  the  antediluvian 
age  that^- 

"  In  med'cine  simples  had  that  power, 
That  none  need  then  the  planetary  hour 
To  help  them  in  their  working." 

Having  completed  our  examination  of  the  worthy  hermit's  maund  of 
simples  we  may  take  leave  of  him  and  of  Clarinax  ;  but  before  turning 
from  the  subject  of  herbs  altogether  I  must  point  out  a  passage  f  in 
which  the  use  of  them  is  referred  to  in  the  figurative  manner  which 
Drayton  so  much  affected ;  it  is  that  touching  the  long  persevered- 
in  treatment  of  "  grim  Goodwin  "  (sands),  who,  ever  resentful  of  the 
Norman  Conquest,  foams  and  frets  with  hatred  to  France  and  strives 
to  swallow  up  the  sea-marks — 

"  The  surgeons  of  the  sea  do  all  their  skill  apply 
If  possibly  to  cure  his  grievous  malady  : 
As  Amphitrite's  nymphs  their  very  utmost  prove 
By  all  the  means  they  could  his  madness  to  remove. 
From  Greenwich  to  these  sands  some  scurvy  grass  %  they  bring, 
That  inwardly  apply'd  s  a  wond'rous  sovereign  thing. 
From  Shepey,  sea-moss  §  some  to  cool  his  boiling  blood  ; 
Some,  his  ill-seasoned  mouth  that  wisely  understood, 
Rob  Dover's  neighbouring  cleeves  of  samphyre,  ||  to  excite 
His  dull  and  sickly  taste,  and  stir  up  appetite." 

In  this  chapter  of  vegetable  virtues  it  is  right  to  mention  the  folk- 
lore of  S.  Winifred's  Well,  because  the  moss  growing  thereby  was  as 
Drayton  relates  accounted  of  value  against  infectious  damps.  ^  It  was 
worn  as  pomander,  that  is  in  a  scented  ball,  compounded  of  various 
ingredients— apples  frequently  being  one— which  it  was  formerly  the 

•  Noah's  Flood  [iv.  1526].  f  Pol.  xviii.  [iii.  1021]. 

X  Cochlearia  officinalis.  §   Ulva  latissima. 

II  Crithmwn  marinvm.  %  Pol.  iv.  [ii.  731]. 


loO  THE  FOLK-LORE  OP  DRAYTON. 

fashion  to  carry  about  on  the  person.  The  poet  gives  the  legend  of 
chaste  Winifred,*  who,  when  endeavouring  to  evade  tlie  amatory 
attentions  of  Caradoc,  a  seventh-century  Prince  of  Wales,  was  cruelly 
beheaded  by  him.     Her  tears  into  a  fountain  turned — 

"  The  pure  vermilion  blood,  that  issued  from  her  veins, 
Unto  this  very  day  the  pearly  gravel  stains."  f 

and  her  hair  was  changed  into  tlie  moss  aforesaid.  Whatever  living 
thing  may  be  thrown  into  this  well  will  float,  and  with  its  waters 
diseases  may  be  washed  away.  The,  probably,  real  story  of  this  lady, 
as  given  by  Mr.  Baring-Gould,J  is  not  quite  as  marvellous  as  the  one 
just  told ;  he  says  the  so-called  blood-streaks  are  caused  by  iron  §  in 
the  stone,  and  declares  that  the  moss  has  lost  its  savour.  Moreover. 
"  it  is  remarkable  that  in  the  Survey  of  Domesday  Book  which 
includes  the  county  of  Flint,  neither  church,  chapel,  nor  well  of  S. 
Winifred  is  mentioned;  affording  the  presumption  that  the  story  and 
celebrity  of  the  saipt  are  of  later  date  than  the  Norman  Conquest." 
James  the  Second  came  on  a  pilgrimage  to  S.  Winifred's  Well,  and 
touched  for  the  Evil  on  its  steps,  the  curative  power  of  regal  hands, 
having  been  left,  as  Drayton  chronicles,  an  heirloom  to  the  English 
throne  by  Edward  the  Confessor.  ||  An  intermittent  spring  at  Giggles- 
wick,^  which  sometimes  falls  and  rises  three  times  within  an  hour, 
and,  though  thirty  miles  from  the  sea,  has  a  range  of  three-quarters 
of  a  yard  between  high  and  low  water-mark,  was,  teste  Drayton, 
originally  a  nymph,  who,  like  S.  Winifred,  fled  from  a  lover  until 
being  fairly  out  of  breath  she  was  pitied  by  "  the  topick  gods  "  and 
turned  into  water,  to  ebb  and  flow — 

"  Even  as  the  fearful  nymph  then  thick  and  short  did  blow." 


*  Pol.  X.  [iii.  846,  847]. 

t  When  wet  the  earth  at  Hastings  is  still  red  (Pol.  xviii.  [iii.  981]);  and  at 
Borough  bridge  no  grass  gi'ows  where  the  Barons  were  defeated  (T/te  Baronn 
Warn,  book  ii.  v.  51  [i.  120]).    Nature  has  a  good  memory. 

X  Lives  of  the  Saints,  part  i.  pp.  69-72. 

§  Mr.  Askew  Roberts,  well-known  as  the  author  of  A  Oogsijnng  Ghade  to 
Wales,  attributes  them  to  the  growth  of  Byssus  loUthus,  and  says  the  moss  is 
Jungerma nnia  asplenitim, 

II  Pol  xi.  [iii.  870].  ^  Pol.  xxviii.  [iii.  1197]. 


THE  FOLK-LORE  OF  DU AYTON.  151 

The  same  authority  would  also  have  us  believe  that  *'  the  holy 
springs  "  of  Harlweston,* — one  salt,  the  other  sweet,  that  good  for 
dimness  of  sight,  this  for  disorder  of  skin, — are  the  essences  of  two 
nymphs  beloved  of  sylvan  deities,  who  in  fond  remembrance  of  the 
fair  ones  bestowed  on  the  waters  the  healing  qualities  for  which  they 
are  still  locally  respected. 

It  would  be  ultra  crepidam  for  me  to  inquire  whether  Drayton 
himself  credited  such  tales  as  these  and  others  that  I  might  repeat  f 
until  time  should  fail;  but  I  would  that  I  knew  which  of  them  he 
made  "  out  of  his  own  head."  The  account  of  the  parting  of 
Marceley  Hill,J  how  that  it  burst  asunder  in  vexation  at  not  being 
invited  to  the  wedding  of  Lug  and  Wye,  was  probably  one  of  them  ; 
for  the  earthquake  which  happened  at  the  same  time  as  the  land- 
slip took  place  §  in  Drayton's  day,  and  a  tradition  would  hardly 
have  rooted  concerning  it  as  early  as  1612,  when  the  first  instalment 
of  Polyolhion  was  printed.  To  the  credit  of  this  myth,  then,  I  think 
Drayton  may  very  fairly  lay  claim.  What  tale  they  tell  in  the  West- 
Country  about  Marceley  in  this  present  year  of  grace  I  have  no  means 
of  hearing  ;  but  I  venture  to  assert  that  here  was  a  germ  of  folk-lore 
which  the  more  favourable  conditions  of  earlier  ages  than  those  in 
which  Drayton  sang  would  not  have  permitted  to  perish. 

*  Pol.  xxii.  [iii.  1058,  9]. 

t  Exempli  gratia:  the  fourteen  daughters  of  Brecan  were  turned  into  as 
many  rivers,  which,  in  all  their  maiden  purity,  fall  into  the  Severn — 
"  And  from  the  seas  with  fear  they  still  do  fly, 
So  much  they  yet  delight  in  maiden  company." — Pol.  iv.  [ii,  728]. 
Tenet  (Thanet)  was  a  daughter  of  Albion,  and  when  he  went  to  Gaul  to  fight 
with  Alcides,  of  whose  fame  he  was  emulous,  she  was  only  kept  from  following 
by  the  widening  of  a  channel  which  might  before  be  crossed  afoot. — [Pol.  xviii. 
[iii  1020].    Rolright  Stones,  near  Towcester,  are,  Drayton  says  {Pol.  xiii.  [iii. 
925] ): 

"  A  witness  of  the  day  we  won  upon  the  Danes." 
On  which  Selden,  annotating  the  Polyolhion,  remarks  somewhat  contemptuously, 
methinks  "  He  means  Rollritch  Stones  ...  of  which  the  vulgar  there  have 
a  fabulous  tradition  that  they  are  an  army  of  men,  and  I  know  not  what  great 
general  among  them,  converted  into  stone  not  having  his  superior  in  the  ranks 
of  untruths  "  [iii.  925]. 

X  Pol.yn.  [ii.  788;  note,  794] . 

§  Selden's  note  says  in  1575;  another  authority  in  1671.      In  Cider,  book  i. 
Philips  recommends  apple-growers  to  distrust  this  '*  deceitful  ground." 


152 


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156 


NOTES  AND  QUERIES. 

The  Rejuvenating  Elixir. — Can  any  of  your  correspondents  give 
me  some  information  respecting  the,  probably  French,  source  of  the 
following  fairy  tale?  A  lady  possessed  an  elixir,  a  few  drops  of 
which  were  sufficient  to  rejuvenate  a  person.  Her  maid  found  the 
potion  and  drank  the  whole  of  it ;  the  consequence  being  that  she 
became  a  little  child,  she  having  taken  an  over-dose.  Where  has 
this  story  first  been  told.  C.  A.  Buohheim. 

Magpies  as  a  Cure  for  Epilepsy. — The  following  singular  adver- 
tisement appears  in  the  Deutsch-Kroner  Zeitung  of  December  11th, 
1883  : — "  Magpies  shot  between  December  24th  and  January  6th  are 
used  as  a  remedy  against  epilepsy.  The  undersigned,  with  whom  this 
medicine  is  prepared,  will  be  greatly  obliged  to  every  one  who  will 
send  him  as  many  magpies  as  possible,  pro\dded  they  have  been  shot, 
and  not  killed  by  persons  or  caught  in  traps. — Castle  Tutz,  December 
5th,  1883.     (Signed)  Theodore  Count  Stolberg." 

Robert  Brown. 

Bible  and  Key. — At  the  Thames  Police  Court,  a  woman  named 
Lyons  was  charged  with  violently  assaulting  a  woman  named  O'Brien, 
by  striking  her  over  the  head  with  some  heavy  instrument,  tearing 
out  some  of  her  hair,  and  knocking  her  down.  The  prisoner  admitted 
the  assault.  The  dispute,  she  explained,  arose  out  of  the  loss  of  her 
shawl,  which  had  disappeared  in  a  mysterious  way.  She  felt  certain 
that  it  had  been  stolen,  and  she  therefore  made  up  her  mind  to  find 
out  the  thief  by  means  of  the  **  Bible  and  key,"  a  test  which  never 
failed.  She  accordingly  invited  several  friends  to  her  room.  She 
got  a  key  and  a  Bible,  and,  laying  the  Bible  upon  the  table,  she  took 
the  key,  and,  after  tying  a  piece  of  string  to  it,  placed  it  inside  the 
Bible  with  the  wards  flat  upon  the  leaves.  She  then  closed  the  book, 
and,  sitting  so  that  those  in  the  room  could  see  her,  she  took  in  her 


NOTES  AND  QUERIES.  157 

hand  the  part  of  the  key  which  she  had  left  projecting,  and  pro- 
nounced the  names  of  the  persons  she  was  acquainted  with,  repeating 
after  each  name  the  words  "  Turn,  Bible,  turn,  turn  round  the  key ; 
turn,  key,  turn,  and  show  the  name  to  me."  She  repeated  several 
names,  but  no  sign  was  given.  At  last  she  mentioned  the  name  of 
Mrs.  O'Brien,  and  then  the  key  gave  such  a  turn  that  it  twisted  itself 
out  of  her  hand  and  fell  on  to  the  floor.  She  picked  it  up  and  re- 
placed it,  and  then  in  the  same  way  she  got  the  name  of  the  pawn- 
broker where  her  shawl  was  pledged,  Ultimately  the  magistrate 
bound  both  the  women  over  to  keep  the  peace. — St.  Jameses  Gazette, 
April  16th,  1884.  Egbert  Brown. 

Early  mention  of  traditional  ballads. — "  That  which  follows 
[about  Athelstan]  I  have  learned  from  old  ballads  popular  through 
succeeding  times." — William  of  Malmeshury,  lib.  ii.  cap.  vi.  G. 

Saint  Patrick  and  the  Devil. — Can  any  one  give  the  legend  about 
St.  Patrick  and  the  Devil  ?  I  used  to  hear  it  in  the  neighbourhood 
of  the  Shannon  when  a  boy,  but  forget  it.  It  was  somewhat  like  the 
story  of  Andriamatoa  in  the  Journal  for  January,  page  45,  being  a 
trial  of  skill.  All  I  remember  is,  the  saint  gave  the  devil  a  number  of 
things  to  do,  all  of  which  he  succeeded  in,  till  at  last  he  told  him  to 
make  a  rope  of  sand.  This  he  failed  in,  and  the  remains  of  the  devil's 
rope  is  the  Eskers  that  stretch  across  Ireland  from  Dublin  to  Galway 
Bay. 

I  think  one  of  the  feats  was  to  make  in  a  day  as  many  islands  as 
there  are  days  in  the  year — which  he  did  in  Clew  Bay.  And  another 
to  make  in  the  same  time  as  many  lakes  as  there  are  days  in  the 
year,  which  he  did  in  the  plain  of  Connemara,  between  Clifden  and 
Koundston.  G.  H.  Kinahan. 

A  Universal  Panacea. — The  annexed  extract  is  from  a  work  by 
"  William  Clouues,  Mayster  in  Chirurgery,"  and  afterwards  *'  one  of 
her  Maiesties  Chirurgions,"  published  in  1588.  I  am  more  than  half 
inclined  to  believe  that  the  ''  lewde  woman "  did  not  repeat  the  real 
charm,  although  straightly  charged  to  do  so:— 

"  I  reade  likewise  of  another  lewde  woman,  which  was  accused  of 
witchcraft ;  the  cause  was  for  that  she  did  commonly  take  upon  her 


158  NOTES  AND  QUERIES. 

to  cure  men,  women,  children,  and  beasts  by  a  certayne  charme,  the 
whiche  they  saye  she  would  do  onely  for  a  penny  in  money  and  a  loafe 
of  bread.  This  was  misliked  of  many  good  men  in  the  countrey 
where  she  did  dwell,  and  for  that  cause  she  was  upon  suspition  of 
sorcery  and  witchcraft  brought  to  the  Assizes  and  there  arrayned 
for  it.  The  simplicity  of  the  old  woman  was  somewhat  considered 
by  the  whole  bench  :  then  the  judges  and  the  justices  graunted  her 
this  favour,  that  if  she  would  surely  declare  unto  them  what  manner 
of  charm  it  was  she  used  she  should  be  deliuered:  and  beyng  in  greate 
feare  and  doubt  of  her  life  forthwithe  in  the  presence  of  them  all 
declared  it  to  be  as  followeth  : — 

"  First  (sayd  she)  after  I  had  receyued  the  penny  in  money  and  the 
loafe  of  bread,  then  my  charme  was  this : — 


The  Charme. 


,1.  My  lofe  in  my  lappe, 

1 2.  My  Penny  in  my  pnrsse, 

1 3.  Thou  art  never  the  better, 

1 4.  Nor  I  am  neuer  the  wurse. 


"  Immediately  after  the  judges  with  the  rest  perceued  it  to  be  meere 
deceit  and  cosenage,  then  they  did  straightly  charge  her  upon  payne  of 
great  punishment  to  leave  off  her  delusions  and  cosenage  of  the  people 
and  so  she  was  discharged  as  is  there  said."       D'Arcy  Power. 

Notes  from  Weardale,  DvLTha.m.—Ci'amp  Bone. — Children  were 
very  eager  to  obtain  this  charm  from  the  head  of  a  goose,  when  the 
dinner  was  a  giblet-pie.  It  is  the  top  of  the  neck  column,  and  was 
carried  in  the  pocket. 

Fox  and  Geese. — This  game  was  common  to  children  of  both  sexes, 
and  generally  a  night-game,  when  there  was  moonlight,  or  not  very 
dark.  A  gathering  of  children  would  select  a  fox  and  a  goose,  then  the 
fox  would  place  himself  in  front  of  the  geese.  The  leader  of  the  geese 
would  step  forward,  and  address  the  fox  in  a  loud  voice. 

Goose.  Fox  a  fox,  a  fummelary,  how  many  miles  a  mummelary  ? 

Fox.  Eight  and  eight,  and  other  eight. 

Goose.  How  shall  I  get  home  to-night  ? 

Fox.  Fly  your  stumps,  and  you'll  get  home  in  candle-light. 
The  geese  then  would  "  fly  "  to  reach  the  goal  behind  the  fox ;   the 


NOTICES   AND    NEWS.  169 

first  goose  caught  joined  the  fox,  changing  sides,  until  all  the  geese 
were  captured.  J.  G.  Fenwick. 

Legend  of  Slain  Warriors. — In  which  paper  was  there  lately  some 
correspondence  about  the  rising  of  slain  warriors  in  the  evening  to 
fight  over  again  their  battles  ?  It  is  a  northern  legend  occurring  in 
the  Edda;  does  it  also  occur  in  an  English  book  ?  There  is  a  legend 
about  a  Norman  hero  who  had  the  gift  of  inheriting  the  talents, 
capacities,  &c.,  of  his  antagonists  whom  he  had  slain  in  battle.  What 
was  his  name?     In  which  book  is  there  an  account  of  him  ? 

C.    A.    BUOHHEIM. 


NOTICES  AND  NEWS. 

Melusine,  revue  de  mythologie,  litterature  populaire,  traditions  et  usages. 

Dirigee  par  H.  Gaidoz  et  E.  Holland.     Paris,   1884.  (Vol.  ii. 

No.  1.) 
It  is  a  sign  of  the  times  that  Melusine,  which  had  stopped  for  six 
years,  has  again  commenced  publication,  and  we  are  heartily  glad  to 
welcome  this  first  number.  It  will  be  our  duty  to  chronicle  the 
contents  of  each  number  in  these  pages  "as  it  appears,  and  we  hope 
our  readers  will  render  all  the  aid  they  can  to  our  French  contem- 
porary. After  a  few  words  of  introduction  by  the  learned  editors  we 
have  articles  on  "  De  I'importance  des  usages  populaires  juridiques,"  a 
particularly  important  subject,  "  L'origine  des  puces,"  "  L'embrouille- 
ment  des  pieds,"  conte  Basque,  "  L'arc-en-ciel,"  "  La  legende  de 
Pontoise,"  "  Lafemmeau  serpent,"  conte  des  sauvages  de  I'Amerique 
du  Nord,  "  Un  legende  serbe  sur  les  moustiques." 

Sefior  Machado  y  Alvarez  is  contributing  to  the  Madrid  journal 
el  America  a  series  of  articles  upon  Dr.  Pitre's  "  Children's  Games 
in  Sicily."  He  identifies  the  games  played  by  the  muchachos  of 
Spain  with  the  pastimes  familiar  to  the  ragazzi  of  Italy,  and  these 
latter  have  been  shown  in  our  pages  to  be  the  same  as  the  games  of 


160  NOTICES  AND  NEWS. 

English  boys.  To  name  one  example  only,  Hop-Scotch  is  as  much  a 
favourite  in  Spain  as  it  is  in  Italy  and  England,  though  of  course  its 
name  varies  with  the  meridian  under  which  it  is  played. 

A  lecture  on  "  Ballad  Lore "  was  given  by  Mdme.  Hoffman  at 
Exeter  Hall.  Songs  of  the  minstrels,  quaint  street  cries,  the  Morris- 
dance,  old  tunes,  and  modern  ballads,  were  commented  upon  and 
illustrated. 

The  following  are  the  titles  of  folk-lore  notes  in  Panjdb  Notes 
and  Queries  {January) :  Marriage  ceremonies,  birth  customs,  donkeys, 
donkey-ride  punishment,  well-finding  by  goats,  omens  (jackals, 
spiders),  silk  unlawful  for  Muhammadans,  chnrel  ghosts,  Chank,  cures 
for  sore  throat,  recipes  for  fever,  nazar  (evil  eye,  cause  and  anti- 
dote, black,  protection  against  nazar),  seed-grain,  birth  custom,  kana, 
one-eyed  man  unlucky,  omens,  dreams,  folk-lore  from  difficult  sources. 
{Fehniary):  Marriage  ceremonies,  holy  stones,  nazar  (women  not 
subject),  use  of  surma  and  kajal,  nazar  in  parents,  disgusting  objects 
fatal  to  nazar,  opprobrious  names,  a  cure,  birth  custom,  death  cus- 
t<jms  (female  infants),  spilling  salt,  overturned  shoes,  horses  shaking 
the  head,  dreams,  oaiens,  crows,  earwigs,  wagtail,  snake  brain  oil, 
metamorphosis,  pheasants,  magic  squares,  storms,  first-born  children, 
Panjabi  proverbs,  folk-lore  from  difficult  sources.  (March) :  Maratta 
marriages,  birth  custom,  new  moon,  hare-luck,  cross  beams,  luck, 
Ri-thlen  murders,  Machhi  Baon  storm-raising  fairy,  burning  houses 
to  secure  male  issue,  nazar,  seven  stones,  cures,  deformities,  remedies 
in  the  case  of  personal  beauty,  cattle  disease,  fish  feeding  in  illness, 
snakes,  dogs,  ants,  magic  squares,  Shi'ahs  bread,  rain  keeping  off, 
customs  of  the  Woddaru,  nazar  wattu,  Panjabi  proverbs,  folk-lore 
fiom  difficult  sources. 

In  the  China  Review  for  March  there  is  a  paper  on  Hakka  folk- 
lore and  another  on  Hakka  songs. 

In  the  transactions  of  the  Society  of  Cymmrodorion,  vol.  vi.  part 
11,  there  is  a  paper  on  Welsh  fairy  tales  by  Professor  Rhys. 

In  the  Montgomeryshire  collection  of  the  Powys-land  School  of 
Art  (April  1884)  is  a  paper  by  the  Rev.  Elias  Owen,  on  "  Folk-lore, 
Superstitions,  or  what  not,"  in  Montgomeryshire. 


MALAGASY  FOLK-TALES. 

By  the  Kev.  James  Sibree,  Junior. 


BamAitsoanAla. 

NCE  upon  a  time,  'tis  said,  Eavbrombe  (that  is,  "  Big- 
bird  " )  arose  and  built  a  house  in  the  midst  of  the 
water.  And  when  she  had  finished  the  house  she 
bought  Iketaka  to  be  liousekeeper.  And  after  Iketaka 
had  remained  long  there,  Ravbrombe  went  away  to  seek  for  prey; 
and,  thus  occupied,  she  swept  up  everything  she  saw  belonging  to 
men,  and  brought  it  to  her  dwelling.  After  some  time  she  laid  eggs 
and  sat  on  them  ;  and  after  sitting  some  time  the  eggs  were  hatched, 
and  the  young  birds  went  oif  to  fly;  but  one  eg^  alone  remained 
unhatched,  so  she  thought  it  addled,  and  removed  it,  placing  it  in 
the  cover  of  a  basket.  After  she  had  forgotten  where  it  was,  Ike- 
taka said,  "  The  addled  egg  is  there  in  the  basket,  and  we  have  for- 
gotten to  cook  it."  Ravbrombe  replied,  "Let  it  be  until  to-morrow, 
for  this  rice  is  all  finished."  So  she  stopped  her.  On  the  morrow 
they  forgot  it  again  ;  and  the  same  on  the  following  day.  And  after 
a  little  time  longer  she  looked,  and  behold !  it  was  hatched,  and  had 
produced  a  human  creature  !  Then  Iketaka  was  astonished,  and  called 
to  Ravbrombe,  "  Come  quickly,  for  this  egg  is  hatched,  and  has  pro- 
duced one  of  human  kind  !  "  So  she  came  and  looked,  and  saw  that 
it  was  really  so.  Then  she  said,  "  This  is  my  offspring ;  and  her 
name  shall  be  Ramaitsoanala  (that  is,  *  Green  in  the  Forest ').  But 
there  is  no  one  to  give  it  suck;  so  I'll  go  and  steal  a  cow  for  milking, 
that  she  may  feed  on  milk."  So  she  went  and  swept  off  a  cow  in 
milk,  and  got  it  for  her  child's  sustenance;  for  she  had  no  breasts, 
being  a  bird.  Then  she  made  a  little  box  for  the  child  and  placed  it 
there,  bidding  Iketaka  to  mind  it.  Then  she  went  away  again  seeking 
Vol.  2.— Part  6.  m 


162  MALAGASY  FOLK-TALES. 

for  prey;  and  whenever  she  saw  anything  beautiful  belonging  to 
people  she  swept  ofif  with  it  and  brought  it  to  her  child.  And  when 
she  came  to  her  house  she  cried  out,  "  Ramaitsoanula  there  !  Ramiiit- 
soanala  there !  Why,  say  I,  don't  you  peep  out,  and  why  don't  you 
look  about?  "  But  there  was  no  answer,  for  it  was  still  an  infant,  and 
how  could  it  speak  and  stand  up? 

So  she  came  in,  and  spoke  again,  "  I  smell  humankind,  I  smell 
humankind !  "  Then  said  Iketaka,  "  Who  has  come  in  but  we  two, 
that  you  say,  '  I  smell  humankind '  ?  "  The  bird  replied,  "  Did  not 
I  think  that  there  was  some  one  here,  and  that  you  had  been  taken 
away  by  them? "  Then  she  spoke  again  and  said,  "  But  haye  you 
given  the  child  its  milk?  "  "  Yes,"  replied  Iketaka.  So  she  stopped 
there  a  while.  But  after  a  time  she  went  away  again  to  seek  for  prey; 
and  brought  again  the  precious  things  belonging  to  people,  and  gave 
them  to  her  child.  And,  coming  home,  she  called  again,  "  Ramait- 
soanula there  !  Ramuitsoanula  there  !  Why,  say  I,  don't  you  peep 
out,  and  why  don't  you  look  about?  " 

But  again  there  was  no  reply,  for  the  child  was  little,  and  how 
could  it  answer?  So  she  came  in  and  said,  *'  I  smell  humankind,  I 
smell  humankind  ! "  Then  said  Iketaka,  "  Who  has  come  in  but  we 
two,  that  you  should  talk  thus?  "  The  bird  replied,  "  Did  I  not 
think  there  was  some  one  come  to  fetch  you  away? "  Then  she 
stopped  there,  and  said,  "  But  how  is  my  child?  Is  it  getting  big  or 
not?"  Then  Iketaka  answered,  "It  is  getting  rather  big  now,  and 
in  a  little  time  will  be  able  to  walk." 

Then  she  went  off  again,  and  the  child  also  began  to  learn  to  walk. 
And  then  she  came  again,  and  called  according  to  her  custom,  but 
none  answered,  for  the  child  was  still  little.  And  after  a  time  there 
came  Andriambahbaka  from  the  north,  and  looked  from  the  water's 
edge,  and  said,  "  Oh  dear !  there  seems  to  be  something  very  won- 
derful yonder  on  that  island  ;  come,  let  us  get  a  canoe,  and  go  there, 
and  see  what  kind  of  a  thing  it  is."  And  on  arriving  there  he  asked 
Iketaka,  "Whose  child  is  this,  that  I  may  take  it  for  a  wife?" 
Iketaka  replied,  "  This  is  Ravbromb^'s  child,  for  its  mother  is  a  bird, 
and  it  is  still  little.  But,  pray  go  away.  Sir ;  for  the  day  is  windy, 
and  its  mother  will  be  here  directly  ;  so  pray  go  away  for  a  time,  for 


MALAGASY  FOLK-TALES.  163 

she  will  devour  you  all ;  pray  begone,  and  come  again  another  time, 
for  the  child  is  still  little." 

So  Andriambahbaka  arose  ;  and  when  he  had  only  gone  a  little  way, 
Kavbrombe  came  back,  and  called  the  child  as  she  used  to  do;  but, 
as  there  was  no  reply,  she  said,  "  I  smell  humankind,  I  smell  human- 
kind." And  Iketaka,  coming  in,  said,  "  What  person  can  'have  been 
here?  for  every  time  you  come  in  you  speak  thus!"  She  replied, 
"  Did  I  not  think  that  some  one  had  come  in  and  taken  you  both 
away  ?"  at  the  same  time  opening  the  box,  and  looking  at  her  child, 
whom  she  saw  to  be  getting  big.  Then  she  said,  "  Do  you  stay  here, 
for  I  will  go  and  look  for  ornaments  for  Ramaitsoanala,  for  she  is 
growing  up."     So  she  went  away. 

And  Andriambahbaka  spoke  to  his  two  wives  and  to  his  people 
thus  :  "  There  is  a  beautiful  young  lass,  and  I  am  going  to  take  her 
for  a  wife,  for  we  are  most  unfortunate  in  having  no  children.  And 
so  after  a  fortnight  I  shall  be  back ;  so  bid  the  servants  fatten  fowls 
and  pound  rice  in  abundance,  for  when  I  return  I  shall  marry  her, 
therefore  make  all  preparations."  So  he  set  off,  and  coming  to  the 
water's  edge  he  sent  for  canoes  and  crossed  over  ;  on  arriving  there 
he  was  welcomed  by  Iketaka,  and  he  spoke  to  Ramaitsoanala  thus  : 
"  What  do  you  say.  Miss  ;  if  I  take  you  for  my  wife,  will  you  be 
willing,  or  how?"  She  replied,  "Nonsense,  Sir;  you  can't  manage 
me ;  so  let  it  alone.  Sir."  He  said,  "  Tell  me  why  I  could  not 
manage  you."  She  replied,  "  This  is  why  you  could  not  :  my  mother 
is  a  bird."  Andriambahbaka  replied  again,  "  If  that  is  all,  Miss,  I 
am  equal  to  it ;  so  come  now,  let  us  go."  Then  said  Iketaka,  "  But 
if  you  marry  her.  Sir,  will  you  not  let  her  wait  first  for  her  mother  ?  " 
But  he  replied,  "  Let  us  go,  for  when  she  comes  she  can  follow."  So 
when  the  two  could  not  resist  him,  Ramaitsoanala  went  away,  and 
Iketaka  was  left  to  keep  the  house. 

Then  they  went  and  took  white  rice  and  indian-corn  and  beans  to 
deceive  the  mother  on  the  road  until  Andriambahbaka  should  get 
home,  lest  the  girl  should  be  overtaken  by  her  mother  on  the  road  and 
brought  back.  And  after  a  while,  back  came  the  mother,  and  called 
again  as  she  was  used  to  do.  Then  Iketaka  replied  from  the  house 
**  Ramaitsoanala  is  not  here,  but  has  been  taken  away  by  some  one." 

M  2 


1G4  MALAGASY  FOLK-TALES. 

"  Who  has  taken  her,  and  where  has  she  gone  ?"  asked  Rav6rombe. 
"  Andrianibahbaka  from  the  north  has  taken  her,  and  northwards  has 
she  gone."  So  away  went  Ravbrombe  to  the  north.  And  as  she 
was  getting  near  the  child,  Ramaitsoanala  said,  "  Here  comes  my 
mother,  and  so  the  day  is  stormy  ;  just  scatter  some  of  the  rice."  So 
they  scattered  it  about,  and  went  on  their  way.  But  when  the 
mother  came  up,  she  said,  "  Dear  me,  here  is  rice  she  has  scattered, 
and  I  am  forsaken  by  her."  So  she  sat  down  to  gather  it  up ;  and 
then  returned  to  take  it  back  to  the  house,  and  after  that  went  back 
to  follow  her  child.  But  again  Ramaitsoanala  knew  by  the  wind 
which  blew  that  her  mother  was  following  her,  and  so  the  indian-corn 
was  scattered  on  the  road,  and  was  also  gathered  up  and  taken  back 
by  Ravbrombe ;  and  so  again  with  the  beans. 

By  this  time  her  child  had  come  near  Andriambahbaka's  village; 
so  he  sent  people  forward,  and  said,  "  Bid  the  people  make  ready, 
for  Andriambahbaka  has  come  south  of  the  village."  So  the  people 
made  preparations,  and  the  pair  came  up.  And  as  the  people  sat 
there,  Andriambahbaka's  wife  would  not  look  into  the  house,  for  she 
said,  "  How  should  a  bird's  offspring  come  in  ?  "  And  as  the  pair 
were  sitting  comfortably  there,  up  came  the  mother,  and  said,  "  How 
is  it,  child,  you  have  got  a  husband,  and  did  not  wait  for  me  at  all, 
and  did  not  even  consult  me  at  all  ? "  And  her  child  made  no 
answer.  Then  she  rose,  and  took  the  child's  eyes,  and  stripped  off 
her  skin,  and  departed.  But  the  child  stood  stripped  there,  and  spoke 
to  Andriambahbaka  thus:  "  Is  not  this  that  I  asked  you,  'Can  you 
bear  with  me,  whose  mother  was  a  bird  '  ?  "  But  Andriambahbaka 
replied,  *'  Nevertheless,  I  can  still  bear  with  you."  So  when  his 
wives  heard  that  they  said,  **  Nonsense  !  what  sort  of  a  wife  is  this, 
with  nothing  but  bones,  and  without  eyes  ?  We  do  not  consent ;  but 
let  the  household  property  be  divided."  Then  they  brought  her 
some  hisatra  (the  strong,  tough  peel  of  the  papyrus)  to  make  a  mat. 

And  so  Ravbrorabe's  child  sat  down;  and  when  the  mother  was 
going  to  cook  rice  the  eyes  of  her  child  dropped  down  tears  from  above 
the  hearth;  for  it  was  there  she  had  placed  the  eye-balls,  and  the 
mother  could  not  by  any  means  light  the  fire.  And  when  she  saw  that 
she  said,  "  Come,  let  me  go ;  for  indeed  sore  trouble  has  befallen  my 


MALAGASY  FOLK-TALES.  165 

child,  because  this  falling  down  of  her  eyes  is  extraordinary  !  "  So 
she  went  away;  and,  coming  in,  she  said,  **  What  is  it  has  happened 
to  you  that  I  cannot  light  the  fire  ?  "  Her  child  answered,  "  Why, 
mother,  the  people  are  dividing  the  household  goods ;  but  I  have  no 
eyes,  and  that  is  why  I  am  weeping."  So  the  mother  said,  '*  Where 
is  it  that  I  may  do  it  ?  "  Then  she  plaited  the  mat  quickly,  and  it 
was  finished,  and  she  went  away. 

After  that  Andriambahbaka's  wives  said,  "  Come,  work  away,  and 
give  her  some  silk  "  (for  spinning  or  weaving).  But  again  Ramait- 
soanala  wept,  and  her  mother  could  not  light  the  fire.  So  she  came 
again,  saying,  "  What  is  the  matter  with  you  now,  child,  that  I  cannot 
light  the  fire  ?  "  She  answered,  "  Why,  mother,  they  have  brought 
me  silk."  Then  her  mother  finished  the  silk  for  her ;  and  when  it  was 
finished  she  went  oflf  again,  and  began  to  tend  the  fire  on  the  hearth. 
And  after  a  little  while  again  Andriambahdaka's  wives  brought  cloths 
and  dresses  for  Ramaitsoanala  to  sew,  and  said,  **  Will  she  be  able  to 
finish  these;  for  if  we  bring  many  things  afterwards,  won't  she  run 
away  ?  "  But  they  thought  that  when  she  brought  them  they  would 
not  be  finished.  Then  Ramaitsoanala  wept  again  and  said,  "  Oh  dear, 
but  this  is  too  difficult !  "  So  her  tears  again  flowed  down  upon  the 
hearth,  and  again  her  mother  rose  up,  saying,  "  What  ever  can  this 
be  again  happening  to  my  child? "  and  away  she  went;  and  on  coming 
to  her  daughter  and  inquiring  she  showed  her  the  clothes  and  the 
dresses,  which  the  mother  finished  and  went  away  as  before. 

And  after  waiting  a  little  Andriambahbaka's  wives  said,  "Come,  let 
us  three  be  compared  together,  for  we  two  are  put  to  shame  by  this 
child  of  a  bird;  for  people  called  her  very  beautiful,  although  she  had 
her  eyes  put  out,  and  has  only  bones  !  "  But  Andriambahbaka  said, 
"  Enough  of  that,  Ramatoa ;  for  what  will  you  do,^say  I,  to  shame 
her  ?  Enough  of  that."  But  she  would  not  be  quiet,  but  spoke  all 
the  more.  And  as  Andriambahbaka  could  not  prevent  the  two  women 
from  speaking,  he  said,  "  When  then  will  you  be  compared  ?"  The 
two  answered,  "  On  Thursday  "  ;  and,  going  away  to  Ramaitsoanala, 
he  told  her  she  should  be  compared  with  the  other  two  on  the  Thurs- 
day. Then  Ramaitsoanala  wept,  and  again  her  mother  could  not 
light  any  fire  ;  upon  which  she  rose  up  and  came  to  her  daughter  ; 


166  MALAGASY  FOLK-TALES. 

and,  on  being  informed  about  it  all,  she  said,  "  If  that  is  all,  be  not 
sorrowful,  for  I  will  go  and  fetch  ornaments  for  you,  and  then  you 
can  stand  comparison  with  the  others."  So  she  went  away,  and 
brought  her  daughter's  eyes  and  skin,  and  coral  beads,  and  gold  and 
silks,  and  all  kinds  of  beautiful  ornaments  she  brought ;  and  she  also 
brought  a  golden  chair  for  her  to  sit  down  upon.  And  when  the 
appointed  time  arrived  she  adorned  her  daughter,  putting  in  her  eyes 
and  replacing  her  skin,  and  allowed  no  person  to  see  her. 

And  so  the  three  women  were  fetched  to  go  in  the  open  space  to  be 
compared,  for  the  people  were  gathered  together.  And  the  two  wives 
did  not  adorn  themselves  at  all,  for  they  hoped  thus:  '•  This  woman 
without  eyes  is  coming;  and  what  of  her?"  at  the  same  time  getting 
up  and  standing  on  the  eastern  side.  Then  came  also  Ramuitsoanala 
and  went  to  the  northern  side ;  but  as  soon  as  she  showed  her  face 
the  two  women  fled  away,  and  ran  oflf  into  the  fosse,  for  they  were 
ashamed,  and  died  there.  And  so  Andriambah6aka  took  Eam^itso- 
anala  home  and  wedded  her. 

And  she  bore  a  child  and  had  a  son,  whose  name  they  also  called 
Andriambah6aka,  for  he  succeeded  his  father  at  his  death.  But  the 
father  rejoiced,  for  he  obtained  what  he  had  desired. 


The  Wild  Hog  and  the  Chameleon. 

One  day  as  a  wild-hog  was  setting  oflf  to  hunt  he  met  with  a 
chameleon  on  the  road  by  the  side  of  a  watercourse,  and  as  he  looked 
at  the  chameleon  he  exclaimed,  "  Dear  me !  what  a  strange  way  of 
walking  you  have,  friend  !  Judging  from  the  way  you  walk  one 
would  think  you  could  never  get  enough  food,  friend,  for  you  walk 
80  slowly  ;  so  take  good  care  lest  some  big  furious  beast  comes  by 
and  tramples  you  suddenly  to  death,  for  you  are  both  weak  and  very 
slow  in  moving  about.  So  I  think  we  two  will  separate  here  at  this 
watercourse;  and  although  I  don't  walk  at  all  quickly,  but  go  along 
quite  gently,  just  look,  for  when  I  have  crossed  over  this  valley  you 
will  even  not  have  crossed  the  bed  of  this  little  stream." 

The  chameleon  replied  in  his  turn,  **  True  enough,  friend,  that  I 
seem  to  you  to  be  very  weak   and  to  go  very  gently  indeed.     At  the 


MALAGASY  FOLK-TALES.  167 

same  time,  remember  that  we  each  possess  what  is  most  fitting  for  us ; 
and  so  you  are  able  to  get  food  to  satisfy  you,  and  I  also  obtain  food 
to  satisfy  myself." 

And  then  the  chameleon  spoke  again,  and  said,  "  Excuse  me.  Sir, 
for  while  I  am  not  a  little  one  challenging  a  big  one,  yet,  if  it  would 
not  make  you  angry,  let  us  two  play  a  little  along  this  watercourse." 

The  wild -hog  replied,  "  But  what  sort  of  play  would  you  like  us  to 
have?" 

The  chameleon  said,  "  Although  you  are  certainly  swift  of  foot,  and 
I  go  very  slowly,  come,  let  us  make  a  bet  about  our  racing,  elder 
brother." 

Then  the  wild-hog  was  inwardly  angry,  and  said,  "  Come,  then,  let 
us  two  go  up  yonder  a  little  higher  to  try  our  speed,  for  there  is  a 
spacious  common,  while  it  is  boggy  where  we  are  just  now ;  and  if 
you  should  be  struck  even  by  the  mud  thrown  up  by  my  feet  you  will 
be  hurt.  So  let  us  go  yonder  to  that  spacious  ground,  and  if  you 
overtake  me,  then  take  me  and  all  my  family  for  your  servants." 

Then  the  chameleon  answered,  "  Why  are  you  angry,  elder 
brother  ?  For  you  alone  I  cannot  be  a  match,  for  you  make  me 
afraid ;  how  much  more,  then,  if  I  had  all  your  family  as  my  ser- 
vants ?  But  if  it  is  only  play  we  are  to  engage  in,  let  us  then  go  up 
yonder  to  try  our  speed." 

So  they  went  up  to  the  wide  common,  and  agreed  together,  saying, 
"  At  yonder  tree-trunk,  where  the  long  vei-o  grass  is  growing,  let  us 
make  our  goal,  to  see  who  comes  in  first."  And  that  being  settled, 
they  both  arranged  themselves  in  good  order,  the  wild-hog  saying, 
"  Now,  shall  we  run  off  ?  " 

Then  said  the  chameleon,  "  Wait  a  little  first,  that  I  may  look 
well  at  yonder  stepping-place."  But  the  chameleon  was  crafty,  and 
climbed  up  the  long  grass  close  to  the  mane  of  the  wild-hog.  And 
when  he  was  securely  fixed  in  the  mane,  he  said,  "  Now  run,  elder 
brother !  "  And  as  the  wild-hog  galloped  away  the  chameleon  kept 
fast  hold  of  his  mane  and  tail ;  and  when  he  came  yonder  to  the 
appointed  place  he  leaped  off  on  to  the  long  grass.  So,  as  the  wild- 
hog  stood  looking  behind  him,  the  chameleon  said,  "  Don't  look 
behind  for  me,  elder  brother,  for  here  I  am  in  front  of  you  "  ;  so  the 


168  NOTES  ON  GREEK  FOLK-LORE. 

wild-hog  was  both  astonished  and  angry,  and  ran  off  fast  again.     Bnt 
again  the  chameleon  held  fast  by  his  mane  as  before. 

And  so,  after  they  had  thus  gone  to  and  fro  for  a  long  time,  the 
wild-hog  was  dead  with  fatigue,  while  the  chameleon  retained  his 
shrewdness ;  for  the  wild-hog  was  "  killed  by  his  strength,  like  the 
axe,"  and  did  not  think  of  the  cunning  of  his  companion,  but  only  of 
his  own  size. — (Translated  from  a  contribution  to  Publications  of  the 
Malagasy  Folk-Lore  Society^  by  Rev.  W.  C.  Pickersgill.) 


NOTES  ON  GREEK  FOLK-LORE. 

BuBiAL  Customs, 

NTERMENTS  in  Greece  must  take  place  within  twenty- 
four  hours  after  decease,  and  therefore,  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible after  the  event,  printed  placards  are  posted  on  the 
walls  of  the  church  in  which  the  customary  funeral- 
rites  are  to  be  performed,  and  in  various  parts  of  the  city,  town,  or 
village,  as  also  upon  the  door  of  the  house  in  which  the  death  has 
occurred,  inviting  all  friends  and  relations  in  the  names  of  the  family 
of  the  departed  (all  the  different  members  of  which  are  specified)  to 
assist  at  the  ceremonial.  The  body  of  the  deceased  is  always  arrayed 
in  the  choicest  garments  he  or  she  possessed,  the  greatest  care  being 
taken  that  it  should  present  the  best  appearance  possible.  This  is 
the  more  essential  because  the  body  is  displayed  in  an  open  coffin, 
borne  upon  a  low  bier,  and  is  therefore  in  its  transit  first  to  the 
church,  and  subsequently  to  the  cemetery,  exposed  to  the  gaze  of  all. 

In  the  chamber  in  which  a  death  takes  place  candles  or  lamps  are 
immediately  lighted,  and  kept  burning  for  three  days  and  three  nights 
afterwards,  it  being  supposed  that  the  spirit  of  the  departed  still 
lingers  for  that  time  in  the  precincts  of  its  old  abode,  or  may  probably 
return  there.  In  some  parts,  as  in  Crete  not  long  since,  in  the  out- 
lying districts,  food  and  drink  was  also  placed  near  the  body  in  the 
interval  before  the  burial,  lest  the  spirit,  if  it  returned,  might  feel 
grieved  at  being  neglected  and  forgotten. 


NOTES  ON  GREEK  FOLK-LORE.  169 

In  the  country  villages  in  Cyprus  a  small  lozenge-shaped  tile,  upon 
which  are  inscribed  the  initial  letters  of  Xinaros  'averrTt],  is  placed 
between  the  teeth,  which  custom  took  the  place  of  the  coin  which  in 
heathen  times  occupied  the  same  situation  as  payment  to  the  ferryman 
Charon. 

As  the  funeral  procession  leaves  the  house  an  earthen  jar  or  vase  is 
thrown  from  one  of  the  windows  as  a  preservative  charm  against  death 
coming  again  to  that  home. 

Ten  or  twelve  years  since  it  was  the  custom  in  Athens  for  all 
classes  to  engage  a  band  of  music  to  accompany  the  procession.  Poor 
people  clung  to  this  expensive  demonstration  with  tenacity,  and 
thought  it  equal  in  importance  to  the  priest  and  religious  ceremonial, 
and  often  to  secure  it  involved  themselves  in  debt.  This  is  however 
no  longer  allowed,  and  only  the  military,  or  those  who  have  been  deco- 
rated for  any  cause,  are  considered  entitled  to  it. 

The  lid  of  the  coffin  is  borne  along  in  the  procession,  and  when  the 
grave  is  reached,  the  clothes,  previously  to  placing  on  the  lid,  are 
entirely  destroyed  or  rendered  valueless  by  being  snipped  with  scissors, 
or  saturated  with  oil.  This  w^as  formerly  alleged  as  necessary  in  order 
to  prevent  the  cupidity,  or  frustrate  the  malice  of  demons.  The  pre- 
caution however  is  salutary  against  cupidity  other  than  that  of  demons, 
when,  as  in  the  case  of  wealthy  ladies,  they  are  clothed  in  rich  satin 
with  adornment  of  costly  lace,  as  I  have  frequently  seen. 

In  every  cemetery  and  on  every  grave  in  most  parts  of  Greece  will 
be  observed  broken  earthen-vases.  That  these  are  thrown  down  with 
the  same  intent  as  those  from  the  windows  above  mentioned  there  can 
be  no  doubt,  namely,  to  scare  away  evil  spirits,  or  as  a  charm,  but 
in  Athens  the  custom  has  survived  the  meaning  attached  to  it,  at 
least  many  whom  I  asked  professed  to  know  of  no  meaning,  only 
that  they  always  did  it.  There  is  an  allusion  to  this  custom  of 
breaking  jars  in  one  of  their  poets,  Antoniades,  who  describes  it 
in  his  Creteid  as  being  done  to  frighten  away  the  demons,  "  who 
are  always  hovering  around  a  newly-departed  spirit  to  bear  it  off  to 
hell."  * 

Forty  days  after  the  interment  there  is  a  service  held  in  the  church, 

*  KpriTt)tQ*  AvTOvioi)  Avroviadov. 


170  NOTES  ON  GREEK  FOLK-LORE. 

called  "  Mvtifioovvov,^'  because  until  that  time  it  is  considered  that  the 
final  place  of  habitation  for  the  departed  spirit  has  not  been  deter- 
mined upon. 

In  Cyprus  and  in  many  of  the  islands  they  make  funeral-cakes,*  which 
are  prepared  from  boiled  com,  and  which  are  ornamented  upon  the  top 
with  pomegranates,  or  other  fruits  where  these  are  not  obtainable, 
arranged  in  a  kind  of  mosaic  pattern,  over  which  is  sprinkled  sesame 
seed.  These  cakes  are  placed  on  a  salver  near  the  altar  to  be  conse- 
crated. They  are  then  cut  up  and  distributed,  not  only  to  friends  but 
to  passers-by,  the  wealthy  sending  them  through  their  servants,  and 
for  the  poor,  special  ones  are  made  and  distributed  to  them  also  in  the 
streets  from  baskets.  This  custom  takes  place  on  the  3rd,  is  repeated 
on  the  9th  and  the  40th  day  after  death,  at  the  MvTjfioavvov,^  on  the 
anniversary,  and  upon  All  Souls  Day.  A  Greek  friend  residing  in 
Nicosia  has  but  lately  assisted  in  this  commemoration,  on  occasion  of 
his  own  father's  anniversary.  He  considers  it  analogous  to  ro  Shttvov 
TTjg  'EKciTrjc  in  the  festival  of  Hecate,  where  food  was  distributed  in  the 
streets,  and  to  the  poor.J  The  materials  of  which  the  Ko\Xw/3a  is  com- ' 
posed  also  bear  a  resemblance  to  the  dishes  of  boiled  pulse  or  beans, 
TTvava,  during  the  festival  of  Apollo  in  October. 

A  letter  from  Angostoli,  lately  received,  informs  me  that  in  an  out- 
lying district  called  Pillarnio  they  still  employ  hired  weepers  if  no 
neighbours  volunteer,  and  that  in  the  same  part  they  occasionally  put 
a  small  copper  coin  (Charon's  fee)  into  the  coffin. 

In  Cyprus,  after  the  funeral  has  passed  out  of  the  street  they  pour 
from  a  large  vessel  the  water  which  it  contains,  and  then  throw  down 
the  vessel.     This  custom  is  referred  to  the  basins  of  lustral  water, 

*  KoXXv/Sa.  This  custom  of  "  KoXKvfia  "  was  introduced  (according  to  the 
present  Archbishop  of  Cyprus)  not  at  first  for  the  funeral  service,  but  as  a  clean 
food  (being  simply  boiled  com),  during  the  times  of  fasting,  by  Theodore  Tyro  to 
evade  the  intentions  of  the  Emperor  Maximian,  a.d.  297,  who,  being  desirous  to 
reintroduce  paganism,  ordered  meat  and  butter  to  be  mixed  with  all  food  sold, 
making  it  thus  unclean.  In  order  to  defeat  this,  Theodore  resorted  to  the  plan  of 
feeding  the  Christians  ivithin  the  churches  upon  boiled  corn — "KoXXy/3a." 
Afterwards  it  was  retained  as  a  pure  food  for  funeral  ceremonies  only. 

t  Mvij/i^ervvov.— Requiem  service. 

X  At  the  festival  of  Uvavi^ta  and  in  commemoration  of  events  under  Theseus. 


NOTES  ON  GREEK  FOLK-LORE.  171 

"x«P»"^«,"*  which  were  placed  at  the  doors  of  the  house  in  which  there 
was  a  deceased  person,  to  be  used  by  those  who  had  touched  the 
body,  but  with  the  Cypriotes  it  is  thought  to  be  for  the  refreshing 
of  the  soul  that  has  left  the  body,  or,  according  to  another  version, 
for  the  washing  off  the  blood  from  the  sword  of  the  Archangel 
Michael,  who  is  supposed  to  pass  invisible  after  having  taken  the 
soul  of  the  dead.  The  breaking  of  the  vessel  is  there  held  symbolical, 
and  means  that  thus  should  evil  be  broken  and  done  away,  and,  by 
not  using  again  a  vessel  used  at  a  funeral,  death  removed.  When 
a  funeral  passes  along,  people  in  Cyprus  who  happen  to  be  at  their 
doors  will  often  hasten  to  break  a  vessel  in  like  manner. 

In  Cyprus  they  do  not  cast  vases  on  the  graves,  which  custom 
seems  to  be  more  prevalent  in  Attica  than  elsewhere. 

Some  Greek  Folk-Lore. 

There  are  just  a  few  things  which  Mrs.  Walker  in  her  interesting 
paper,  "  Some  Greek  Folk-Lore,"  has  not  touched  upon.  One  in 
connection  with  belief  in  the  evil  eye,  is  the  dislike  to  have  any  pos- 
session or  belongings  praised.  The  possible  harm  following  such  indis- 
cretion is  only  to  be  averted  by  the  gift  of  the  article,  which  is  often 
amusing  or  inconvenient  to  the  receiver. 

Country  people  still  account  some  men  amongst  them  to  be  endowed 
with  powers  of  second- sight  upon  looking  on  the  shoulder-bone  of  a 
black  lamb.  Black  animals  are  not  in  favour  in  many  cases.f  On 
lonely,  hilly  places  in  Crete  J  demons  hover  about  under  the  form  of 
black  donkeys ;  ind,  if  any  unwary  or  belated  traveller  is  seduced  by 
the  apparent  readiness  of  the  animal  to  relieve  his  weariness  and 
fatigue  by  offering  a  ready  mount,  it  is  only  a  pretext  by  which  many 
people  benighted  on  the  hills  have  been  carried  off  to  hell. 

All  the  hills  are  more  fruitful  in  such  like  beliefs  than  the  plains. 
The  Nereids  are  still  believed  to  inhabit  the  sides  of  streams  among 
the  hills  of  Crete,  and  are  often  said  to  decoy  the  shepherds  tending 

*  Euripides.— "AXic." 

t  It  is  interesting  to  note  how  in  modem  Greek  the  word  *'  fiavpog "  is  used 
quite  as  often  to  express  misery  and  wretchedness  as  to  denote  anything  black. 


172  A  CUUI0U8  SUPERSTITION. 

their  flocks  near,  when  they  are  induced  to  follow  whither  the  sound 
of  music  leads  them,  and  to  join  in  the  dance  with  those  beings  who 
are  always  as  beautiful  as  they  are  malicious. 

What  we  call  "  Will  o'  the  Wisps "  or  «  St.  Elmo's  Fires  "  arc 
considered  to  be  the  souls  of  unbaptised  infants,  who,  dying  in  their 
birth,  or  untimely  strangled  by  wicked  mothers,  are  carried  off  imme- 
diately by  demons  who  are  waiting,  all  ready  and  on  the  look-out  for 
such  a  possibility. 

Healing  waters  are  also  widely  believed  by  the  peasantry  to  exist,  if 
only  their  locality  could  be  discovered.  These  healing  waters  will,  if 
obtained,  cure  every  malady  and  sorrow  which  has  baffled  the  care 
and  skill  of  the  most  experienced  physician  and  of  the  most  careful 
nursing. 

E.  M.  Edmonds. 


A  CURIOUS  SUPERSTITION. 

LEMENS  ROMANUS,*  speaking  of  the  idolatry  of  the 
ancient  Egyptians,  states  that  **  alii ....  crepitus  ventris 
pro  numinibus  habendos  esse  docuerunt."  Minucius 
Felix  f  also  bears  testimony  to  this,  as  well  as  Lactantius, 
Origines,  Hieronymus,|  and  others.  C8esarius§  attributes  the  same 
superstition  to  the  Greeks:  irap  "EXXi/o-t  ....  yatrrpos  Trvevfiara  fiefirj- 
vuT€s  tKdeia^ovrat.  Among  the  Romans  such  an  occurrence  during 
religious  ceremonies  was  of  evil  omen.  Cato  in  his  "  Oratio  de  Sacri- 
legio  commisso"!  lays  down  the  etiquette  of  the  subject  minutely: 
"  Domi  cum  auspicamus,"  he  says,  "  servi,  ancillae,  si  quis  eorum  sub 
centone  crepuit,  quod  ego  non  sensi,  nullum  mihi  vitium  facit.  Sicut 
ibidem  servo  aut  ancillae  dormienti  evenit,  quod  comitia  prohibere 
solet,  ne  is  quidem  mihi  vitium  facit."     Martial  in  one  of  his  Epi- 

•  Jt/coffnitiones,  v.  20.    Cf.  also  Clementina  Hbmilia,  x.  16. 
f  Octavius,  cap.  28. 

%  Lactantius,  v.  20.    Origines,  Contra  Celtiim,  torn.  5 ;  Heiron.  Ad  Esaiae, 
cap.  40, 
§  Dialog,  I.  Respong.  ad  Interog.  19.     Cf.  Nicarchus,  Epigram  20. 
II  Cato,  cited  in  Festns,  s.v.  prohibere. 


HOLY  WELLS  IN  SCOTLAND.  173 

grams  *  ridicules  a  certain  ^thon,  who,  for  committing  this  impro- 
priety in  the  temple  of  Jove,  was  condemned  to  three  days'  humble 
fare  (trinoctiali  domicenio) ;  and  the  same  idea  was  likely  present  to 
Horace's  mind  in  the  concluding  lines  of  Satire  i.  8. 

It  would  be  interesting  to  know  how  far  this  superstition  can  be 
traced  in  more  modern  times.  Some  superstitious  dread  certainly  was 
associated  with  this  act  by  our  English  peasants  at  one  time  ;  for 
Home  Tooke  f  speaks  of  "  the  vulgar  country  custom  of  saying  upon 
such  occasions,  *And  joy  go  with  you  ! ' "  J.  W.  Crombie. 


HOLY  WELLS  IN  SCOTLAND. 

I  HE  new  volume  of  Proceedings  of  the  Society  of  Antiquaries 
of  Scotland  (1882-3,  vol.  v.  New  Series.  Edinburgh, 
1883)  contains  references  to  certain  Holy  Wells  which  I 
think  may  be  fitly  noted  for  future  guidance. 
In  a  paper  on  "  Holy  Island  and  the  Kunic  Inscriptions  of  St. 
Molio's  Cave,  County  of  Bute,"  Dr.  Daniel  Wilson  cites  a  passage, 
inter  alia,  from  Professor  Cosmo  Innes's  Origines  Parochiales  Scotia', 
(ii.  245),  the  "  cave  elevated  about  25  feet  above  the  present  level  of 
the  sea,  its  inscription,  a  shelf  of  rock  within  it  called  the  saint's  bed, 
a  large  flat  stone  near  it  called  his  table,  and  his  well — celebrated  for 
its  healing  virtues — are  still  shown ;  while  the  Baul  Muluy  (the  stone 
globe  of  St.  Molingus),  a  smooth  green  stone  about  the  size  of  a 
goose's  eggf  which  was  believed  to  have  the  virtue  of  causing  diseases 
and  of  procuring  victories  for  the  Macdonalds  (whose  chaplain  the 
saint  is  said  to  have  been),  has  now  disappeared."  Proceedings,  vol.  v. 
p.  47.  The  well  is  sometimes  called  the  "  bath"  of  the  saint;  but  Dr. 
Wilson  says  (p.  55),  "  as  the  well  is  close  by  the  sea-shore  its  use 
as  a  bath  was  unnecessary,  unless  for  the  purpose  of  rendering  its 
miraculous  virtues  available,  and  it  may,  therefore,  be  more  correctly 
designated  the  well  of  St.  Molio."     Dr.  Wilson  mentions  other  holy 

*  Martial,  Epigram  xii.  78.  f  Diversions  of  Purley,  vol.  ii.  p.  67. 


174  HOLY  WELLS  IN  SCOTLAND. 

wells  celebrated  for  curative  powers,  siicli  as  the  Well  of  St.  Wallack. 
"  Both  the  bath  and  well  of  St.  Wallack  still  remain  near  the  ruined 
aisle  of  Wallakirk,  parish  of  Glass,  Aberdeenshire.  The  saint's  bath 
is  cut  in  the  rock  to  a  depth  of  nearly  four  feet,  and  supplied  with 
water  by  a  small  spring  which  flows  into  it.  The  well  was  annually 
resorted  to  until  a  very  recent  date,  on  the  saint's  day,  for  the  cure  of 
diseased  eyes,  and  weakly  children  dipped  in  the  bath  were  believed 
to  be  restored  to  vigour  "  (p.  56). 

Mr.  J.  Russel  Walker,  F.S.A.Scot.j  contributes  to  the  same 
volume  a  very  valuable  paper  on  **  Holy  Waters  in  Scotland,"  but  as 
it  extends  to  sixty  pages  I  cannot  attempt  to  analyse  it  here.  He  re- 
cords the  reported  medicinal  value  of  many  of  these  wells,  and  gives 
a  modem  instance  of  faith  in  the  water  of  St.  Anthony's  Well, 
Edinburgh : — "  To  an  incident  which  showed  that  the  faith  and  belief 
in  the  healing  virtues  of  the  wells  is  still  strong,  the  writer  was  but  a 
few  months  ago  an  eye-witness.  While  walking  in  the  Queen's  Park 
about  sunset  I  casually  passed  St.  Anthony's  Well,  and  had  my 
attention  attracted  by  the  number  of  people  about  it,  all  simply, 
quenching  their  tlirst,  some  possibly  with  a  dim  idea  that  they  would 
reap  some  benefit  from  the  draught.  Standing  a  little  apart,  however, 
and  evidently  patiently  waiting  a  favourable  moment  to  present  itself 
for  their  purpose,  was  a  group  of  four.  Feeling  somewhat  curious  as 
to  their  intentions,  I  quietly  kept  myself  in  the  background,  and  by- 
and-by  was  rewarded.  The  crowd  departed  and  the  group  came  for- 
ward, consisting  of  two  old  women,  a  younger  woman  of  about  thirty, 
and  a  pale  sickly-looking  girl — a  child  of  three  or  four  years  old. 
Producing  cups  from  their  pockets,  the  old  women  dipped  them  in  the 
pool,  filled  them,  and  drank  their  contents.  A  full  cup  was  then 
presented  to  the  younger  woman,  and  another  to  the  child ;  then  one 
of  the  old  women  produced  a  long  linen  bandage,  dipped  it  in  the 
water,  wrung  it,  dipped  it  in  again,  and  then  wound  it  round  the 
child's  head,  covering  the  eyes ;  the  youngest  woman,  evidently  the 
mother  of  the  child,  carefully  observing  the  operation  and  weeping 
gently  all  the  time.  The  other  old  woman  not  engaged  in  this  work 
was  carefully  filling  a  clear  flat  glass  bottle  with  the  water,  evidently 
for  future  use.    Then  after  the  principal  operators  had  looked  at  each 


IRISH  MYTHOLOGY.  175 

other  with  an  earnest  and  half-solemn  sort  of  look,  the  party  wended 
its  way  carefully  down  the  hill "  (pp.  163-1 64).  Mr.  Walker's  paper 
is  made  especially  useful  by  careful  notes  of  the  measurements  of 
wells  he  has  himself  visited,  and  by  many  excellent  illustrations.  He 
appends  an  alphabetical  list  of  Holy  Wells  in  Scotland, 

William  George  Black. 
Glasgow. 


IRISH  MYTHOLOGY  ACCORDING  TO  A 
RECENT  WRITER.* 

RISH  traditional  and  mythological  literature  has  been 
singularly  little  studied  in  this  country,  where  its  richness, 
its  antiquity,  its  fancy  and  beauty,  have  won  for  it  few 
friends.  But  it  cannot  be  too  much  insisted  upon  that  the 
native  Irish  literature  is  not  only  by  far  the  oldest,  but  is  also  by  far  the 
fullest  and  most  valuable  of  all  our  sources  of  information  concerning 
the  beliefs  and  the  customs  of  those  Celtic  races  which  form  such  an 
important  element  of  our  nationality.  As  a  matter  of  fact  the  Irish 
Celts  are,  with  the  Greeks,  the  only  European  people  of  xVryan  race 
of  whom  a  considerable  body  of  pre-Christian  national  epic  poetry 
has  come  down  to  us.  With  the  solitary  exception  of  Beowulf,  the 
Teutonic  racial  sagas  did  not  assume  epic  form  until  the  consciousness 
of  the  race  had  been  profoundly  modified  by  Christianity,  the  fragments 
which  have  been  preserved  to  us  from  the  heathen  stage  of  develop 
ment  being  in  their  essence  dramatic  rather  than  epical.  But  the 
Tain  bo  Cuailgne  and  its  fellows  are  at  once  truly  epical  in  character, 
and  almost  untouched  by  Christian  thought. 

Of  the  three  great  cycles  of  Irish  romantic  literature — the  pseudo- 
historical  pre-Christian  annals,  the  Ulster  cycle,  of  which  Cu-Chu- 
laind  is  the  chief  hero,  and  the  Ossianic — the  first  has  had  the  least 

♦  H.  d'Arbois  de  Jubainville,  Le  oercle  mytJiologiqne  Irlandais  ct  la 
mythologie  Celtique.  8vo.  xiii.  411  pages.  Paris,  E.  Thorin.  London,  D.  Nutt. 


176  IRISH  MYTHOLOGY. 

attention  vouchsafed  it.  The  mingled  dulness  and  absurdity  of  the 
euhemerising  chroniclers  of  the  eleventh  and  following  centuries,  with 
their  portentous  lists  of  kings  stretching  well-nigh  up  to  the  Flood, 
tlie  obvious  artificiality  of  the  whole  system,  may  explain  why  up  to 
now  this  portion  of  Irish  literature  has  escaped  searching  and  critical" 
study.  The  materials  are  plentiful,  and  as  old,  diplomatically,  as  any 
other  branch  of  Irish  literature.  It  is  from  the  two  great  vellums, 
the  Leabhar  na  liUidhre  (L.  n.  H.),  and  the  Book  of  Leinster  (L.  L.), 
written  down,  the  one  at  the  beginning,  the  other  towards  the  middle 
of  the  twelfth  centmy,  that  we  derive  our  information.  From  the 
latter  we  get  the  fullest  text  of  what  seems  to  be  the  earliest  sys- 
tematic attempt  to  euhemerise  the  entire  Irish  mythology,  and  to 
present  it  in  pseudo-historical  shape,  the  Lebar  Gabhala,  or  Book  of 
Invasions  (L.  G.);  in  it,  too,  we  chiefly  find  the  poems  of  Eochaid 
hua  Flainn  (+  984),  representing  an  earlier  stage  in  the  development 
of  the  legends,  and  those  of  Flainn  Manistrech  ( -f  105G),  and  of  Gilla 
Coemain  (+  1072),  which  seem  to  be  the  foundation  upon  which  the 
L.  G.  is  built. 

It  has  long  been  remarked,  and  by  many  writers,  that  the  major 
j)ortion  of  these  elaborate  annals  must  be  simply  rationalised  myth- 
ology ;  the  mythic  character  of  the  Tuatha  de  Danann,  for  instance,  is 
apparent  to  every  educated  student.  But  M.  d'Arbois  de  Jubainville 
has  been  the  first  to  deal  with  this  literature  as  a  whole,  and  to 
attempt  to  resolve  it  in  its  entirety  into  mythological  elements.  I 
will  try  and  state  as  concisely  as  possible  the  main  points  of  his 
argument. 

Irish  mythology  is,  in  its  essence,  dualistic.  It  conceives  of  a 
perpetually  recurring  strife  between  a  good  and  an  evil  principle,  the 
former  of  which  proceeds  from  and  is  antagonistic  to  the  latter.  The 
father,  god  of  night,  and  that  counterpart  of  night,  death,  is  overcome 
by  the  son,  god  of  the  bright  day  and  the  clear  heaven,  patron  of  art 
and  poesy.  But  he  retains  his  sway  in  the  land  of  death,  and  the 
heroes  who  depart  thiiher  after  this  life  dwell  in  his  kingdom.  Even 
so  Hesiod  represents  Kronos,  father  of  the  sky-god  Zeus,  but  dethroned 
by  him,  reigning  over  the  happy  shades  of  dead  lieroes  in  the  isles  of 
ocean.     This  kingdom  of  the  dead,  known  to  the  Irish  Celts  as  Mag 


IRISH  MYTHOLOGY.  l77 

Mor,  or  Mag  Meld,  the  great  or  the  pleasant  plain,  was  placed  by 
them  in  the  western  ocean.  Thence  came  the  different  races  of  men 
who  conquered  and  dwelt  in  Ireland — life  proceeds  from  death,  the 
day  from  the  night,  Ireland  is  peopled  from  out  the  country  of  the 
dead.  A  later  generation,  bent  on  euhemerising  their  ancient  tradi- 
tions, substituted  Spain  for  this  mysterious  land.  From  out  the 
Great  Plain  three  races  came  to  colonise  Ireland ;  that  of  Partholan, 
that  of  Nemedh,  then  the  Tuatha  de  Danann.  In  the  Greek  fable,  as 
set  forth  by  Hesiod  in  the  "  Works  and  Days,"  three  races  had  held 
possession  of  the  earth  prior  to  the  arrival  of  man,  one  of  gold,  one  of 
silver,  one  of  brass ;  after  which  heroes  and  demigods  occupy  the  earth 
and  fit  it  for  man.  To  the  race  of  gold  of  the  Greek  correspond  the 
Tuatha  de  Danann;  to  the  race  of  silver,  Partholan  and  his  tribe  ;  to 
the  race  of  brass,  that  of  Nemedh.  The  latter  occupies  the  same  posi- 
tion in  both  systems,  but  that  of  the  other  two  is  reversed.  The 
Greek  heroic  race  is  represented  in  Irish  mythology  by  Miledh  and 
his  sons. 

The  oldest  mention  of  Partholan  is  that  of  Nennius,  who  speaks 
of  him  as  coming  from  Spain  with  a  thousand  companions,  who 
rapidly  increase  in  numbers,  but  are  carried  off  by  an  epidemic  within 
one  week.  When  he  reached  Ireland,  according  to  Eochaid  hua 
Flainn  (L.  L.),  the  country  was  composed  of  but  three  lakes,  nine 
rivers,  and  a  plain  ;  during  his  time  three  plains  were  added  to  it. 
The  earliest  race  of  gods  it  is  which-  shapes  and  fashions  the  earth. 
Partholan  must  fight  against  the  Fomore,  demons  of  death  and  night, 
monsters  of  gigantic  size  :  these  he  overcomes,  but  succumbs  in  turn 
to  pestilence.  The  second  coloniser  of  Ireland,  Nemedh,  comes  like- 
wise from  Spain,  according  to  Nennius,  and  returns  thither  after  a 
certain  number  of  years.  The  oldest  Irish  form  of  the  legend  pre- 
served in  a  poem  of  Eochaid  hua  Flainn  (L.  L.),  makes  him  land  in 
Ireland  with  his  companions,  all  of  whom,  after  a  while  die — i.e.  they 
return  to  the  land  of  spirits  whence  they  came,  or  to  Spain  in  the 
euhemeristic  version  of  Nennius.  The  Lebar  Gahbala,  and  other 
contemporary  texts,  relate  at  length  the  struggles  of  Nemedh  with 
the  Fomore.  Victorious  in  four  battles,  his  descendants  are,  after  his 
death,  overcome  by  them  and  cruelly  oppressed.     Two-thirds  of  their 

Vol.  2.— Part  6.  n 


178  IRISH  MYTHOLOGY. 

children,  two- thirds  of  their  corn  and  milk,  are  exacted  as  tribute, 
payable  on  the  1st  of  November  at  the  feast  of  Samain,  the  beginning 
of  winter,  the  symbol  of  death.  The  stronghold  of  the  Fomore  is  an 
island,  Tor-inis,  in  the  north-west  of  Ireland.  They  are  described  in 
an  ancient  tract  preserved  in  the  L.  n.  H.  as  gobor-chind,  goat-headed; 
and  they  may  be  compared  as  personifications  of  darkness  and  death 
with  the  bull-headed  Minotaur,  who  dwells  likewise  in  an  island,  and 
to  whom  a  tribute  of  youths  and  maidens  is  due  each  year  by  Athens. 
At  length  the  race  of  Nemedh  revolt,  and  under  the  leadership  of 
Fergus  attack  Conann,  chief  of  the  Fomore,  in  his  island  stronghold, 
capture  his  tower -fortress,  and  slay  him,  but  are  in  turn  overcome  by 
More,  another  Fomore  chieftain.  According  to  Nennius,  who  places 
the  combat  between  the  deities  of  life  and  light,  and  those  of  night 
and  death  after  the  arrival  of  the  sons  of  Miledh,  the  tower  was  of 
glass,  defended  by  quasi  homines,  who  spake  no  word.  This  glass 
tower,  with  its  silent  indwelling  shapes,  is  the  impregnable  fortress  of 
the  other  world.*  After  the  destruction  of  the  race  of  Nemedh,  one 
would  expect  to  find  in  the  Irish  annals  the  history  of  the  third  of  the 
three  legendary  races  which  preceded,  according  to  Irish  belief,  the 
actual  ancestors  of  the  Irish  nation,  namely,  the  Tuatha  de  Danann, 
corresponding  to  Hesiod's  race  of  gold.  But  curiously  enough  there  is 
intercalated  the  story  of  the  colonisation  of  the  country  by  one  of  the 
two  antagonistic  races  we  find  dividing  Ireland  between  them  in  his- 
toric times.  This  race,  that  of  the  Firbolg,  or  Fer  Domnann,  is  found 
at  a  later  period  representing  the  short,  dark-haired  aborigines  dispos- 
sessed by  the  fair  tall  sons  of  Miledh.  To  the  invading  Celts  the  natives 
were  of  demoniac  nature,  and  the  strife  between  Milesian  and  Firbolg 
is  essentially  the  same  as  that  between  Partholan  or  Nemedh  and  the 
Fomore,  a  strife  between  light  and  darkness.  The  later  annalists,  in 
their  zeal  for  euhemerising  the  ancient  national  mythology,  trans- 
ferred the  historic  struggle  between  Celt  and  pre-Celt  into  what  was 
really  the  region  of  pure  mythology.  In  the  same  way  the  conquering 
Aryan,  descending  upon  the  plains  of  India,  applied  the  word  Dasyu 
indifferently  to  demons  and  to  the  native  races. 

♦  M.  d'A.  de  J.  might  have  compared  the  Glagburg  in  Teutonic  folk-faith 
as  a  symbol  of  the  other  world.    See  Grimm,  BeuUche  Mythologies  p.  686. 


IRISH  MYTHOLOGY.  179 

The  mythologic  character  of  the  Tuatha  de  Danann— in  reality  the 
third  of  the  mythic  races,  although  a  semi-historic  people,  the  Firbolgs, 
is  intercalated  between  them  and  the  race  of  Nemedh — has  long  been 
recognised.  Eochaid  hua  Flainn  (L.  L.)  is  in  doubt  if  they  come 
from  out  the  sky  or  from  the  earth.  They  overcome  the  Firbolgs, 
who  take  the  place  of  the  deities  of  death  and  night  which  they 
worship,  and  for  a  while  rule  over  Ireland  in  undisturbed  sway. 
"  Folk  of  the  God  of  Dana,"  as  their  name  implies,  they  descend  from 
Dana,  daughter  of  Dagde,  or  the  "good  god";  their  chief  warriors 
are  Ogme,  to  whom  is  ascribed  the  invention  of  writing;  Lug,  to 
whom  the  first  of  August  was  sacred,  in  whose  honour  Lyons,  and 
Ley  den,  and  Laon  were  named ;  Dian  Cecht,  the  god  of  medicine  ; 
Goibniu  the  smith,  Mannanan  Mac  Lir,  son  of  the  sea,  Nuadu  of  the 
silver  hand.  The  chief  incident  in  their  history  is  the  battle  of  Mag- 
Tured,  in  which  they  overcome  the  Firbolgs.  At  first  they  dwelt  in 
peace  with  these  older  inhabitants  of  the  island,  and  had  accepted  the 
overrule  of  the  Fomore  Bress,  but  the  latter  by  his  avarice  and 
tyranny  discontented  the  poets  and  artists  of  Ireland — ignorance  is  a 
type  of  night  and  death,  and  the  Fomore  king  is  a  natural  enemy  of 
arts  and  sciences,  children  of  light  and  life — who  stir  up  the  people 
against  him,  and  he  had  to  flee  for  aid  to  the  other  chiefs  of  the  Fomore. 
Indech  and  Balor  of  the  mighty  blows  answer  his  appeal:  of  the  latter 
one  eye  is  ever  shut;  when  it  opens,  the  look  is  death — symbol  of  the 
thunder-cloud  which  opens  but  to  send  forth  the  death-dealing 
lightning.  In  the  battle  which  ensues  the  arms  of  the  Tuatha  de 
Danann  are  wrought  by  a  trinity  of  skilful  workmen,  Luchtine, 
Creidne,  Goibniu;  in  three  strokes  they  turn  out  a  lance— even  so  in 
the  Greek  myth  the  three  Cyclops,  Brontes,  Steropes,  and  Arges 
forge  the  thunder-bolts  which  ensure  the  victory  of  Zeus  over  the 
Titans,  Zeus  being  the  Greek  counterpart  of  the  Tuatha  de  Danann, 
the  Titans  that  of  the  Fomore-Firbolgs.  Balor  with  his  deadly  glance 
wounds  Nuada,  the  Tuatha  de  Danann  king,  but  before  he  can  raise  his 
eyelid  again  is  slain  by  a  stone  slung  by  Lug,  even  as  Hermes  (the 
Greek  Lug)  slays  Argus  the  hundred- eyed,  symbol  of  the  starry  night 
sky,  with  a  stone.  Lug  may  be  compared  again  with  Bellerophon,  the 
bane  of  BelleroSf  the  fire-breathing  monster,  whose  name  and  attribute 

n2 


180  IRISH  MYTHOLOGY. 

recall  Balor^  the  lightning-dealer,  or  to  Perseus,  slayer  of  Medusa, 
whose  look,  like  Baler's,  is  death. 

The  victory  of  the  Tuatha  de  Danann  seems  the  final  triumph  of 
the  light  gods  over  those  of  darkness,  but,  as  in  Greek  mythology, 
Zeus,  overcomer  of  Kronos,  is  in  turn  assailed  by  Prometheus  the 
Titan  on  behalf  of  the  race  of  men,  so  Miledh,  son  of  Bile  (i.e.  Balor, 
or  the  storm  god),  and  his  sons,  dispossess  the  immortals.  They  too 
come  from  Spain,  according  to  Nennius,  i.e.  from  the  land  of  death, 
and  after  a  threefold  invasion,  thanks  to  the  mighty  charms  of  the 
file  Amairgen,  who  invokes  and  compels  earth  and  ocean  and  all 
living  beings  to  his  service,  overcome  the  Tuatha  de  Danann  com- 
pletely. But  the  latter,  in  the  popular  traditions,  enjoy  a  mysterious 
and  immortal  existence,  unheeded  of  by  the  senses  of  mortals.  They 
are  found  at  all  stages  of  the  legendary  history,  down  even  to  the 
seventh  century,  playing  the  same  part  in  the  strife  of  the  heroes  as 
is  played  by  the  dwellers  on  Olympus  in  the  struggle  of  Greek  and 
Trojan,  in  the  fortunes  of  Jason  and  Odysseus,  in  the  labours  of 
Theseus  and  Herakles.  But  although  the  chief  personages  in  tiie 
Irish  Pantheon,  their  worship  did  not  kill  out  that  of  the  gods  of 
darkness  and  death  any  more  than  the  Milesian  Celts  killed  out  the 
pre-Celtic  Firbolgs.  Such  a  god  was  worshipped  in  Ireland  down  to 
the  days  of  St.  Patrick,  under  the  name  of  Cenn  Cruach  (Bloody  Head) 
or  Cromm  Cruach  (Bloody  Bow).*  The  first-born  children  were  sacri- 
ficed to  it  to  obtain  fine  weather,  milk,  and  corn  (L.  L.)  This  recalls 
the  tribute  of  children  made  to  the  Fomore  by  the  sons  of  Nemedh 
and  the  Gaulish  sacrifices  mentioned  by  Lucan  and  Caesar. 

Irish  mythology  may  be  described  in  brief  as  a  series  of  variations 
upon  the  same  theme  :  the  struggle  of  the  gods  of  light,  life,  and 
learning,  against  the  gods  of  death,  darkness,  and  storm,  from  whom 
they  nevertheless  proceed,  and  whom  they  never  entirely  overcome,  as 
the  latter  retain  their  sway  in  that  other  world  to  wWch  heroes  go 
after  their  death,  and  to  which  they  may  sometimes  penetrate  in  this 

*  M.  cVA.  de  J.  has  not  mentioned  O 'Curry's  interpretation,  Cromm  Cruach 
(Bloody  Maggot  or  Worm),  though  it  would  fit  in  well  with  his  theory,  the  serpent 
being  associated  with  the  lightning  and  storm  gods  whom  Irish  mythology  groups 
with  the  Fomore. 


r 


IRISH  MYTHOLOGY.  181 


life.  This  mythological  dualism  is  complicated  by  the  historical 
dualism  of  Celt  and  pre-Celt,  the  latter  of  whom  are  assimilated  to 
and  sometimes  confounded  with  the  deities  of  death  by  their  invading 
conquerors. 

I  have  only  been  able  to  indicate  the  outlines  of  M.  d'Arbois  de 
Jubainville's  argument.  The  book  itself  must  be  read  to  fully  under- 
stand the  nature  and  method  of  the  euhemerising  process  by  which 
eleventh  and  twelfth-century  writers  turned  the  mythology  of  their 
race  into  history  with  as  minute  and  precise  a  chronology  as  that  of 
the  house  of  Hanover.  This  is  indeed  the  most  valuable  portion  of 
the  work,  and  it  would  have  been  well  if  the  author  had  devoted  far 
more  space  to  a  critical  sifting  of  his  authorities.  The  process  which 
went  on  in  Ireland  from  the  ninth  to  the  twelfth  centuries  is  paralleled 
by  the  contemporary  transformation  of  Kymric  legends  into  the 
pseado-history  of  Geoffrey  of  Monmouth,  and,  curiously  enough,  Nen- 
nius  is  our  earliest  authority  for  many  of  the  initial  stages  in  the 
development  of  both  groups  of  traditions.  There  is  a  great  deal  of 
scattered  and  fragmentary  criticism  of  sources  in  M.  d'Arbois  de 
Jubainville's  work;  but  much  remains  to  be  done  in  this  direction 
before  the  foundation  can  be  said  to  be  properly  laid  for  such  an 
elaborate  superstructure  as  he  has  reared. 

The  author's  main  contention  almost  imposes  itself — the  pre-Milesian 
annals  are  rationalised  mythology.  But  what  about  the  Milesian  or 
heroic  period  ?  A  large  part  of  the  book  is  devoted  to  proving  the 
mythic  character  of  the  Tuatha  de  Danann  by  showing  how  Irish  folk- 
faith  pictured  them  living  through  and  taking  part  in  the  combats  of 
the  heroic  age ;  but  the  author  does  not  commit  himself  to  the 
opinion  that  Cu-Chulaind  and  Connal  Cearnach,  Fionn  and  Oisin, 
are  themselves  as  mythic  as  Lug  or  Balor.  He  will  doubtless  treat 
the  subject  in  a  subsequent  volume,  and  will,  I  believe,  be  necessitated 
to  adopt  this  conclusion.  He  will  have  against  him  Heinrich  Zimmer, 
who  in  his  last  work  says :  "  Fiir  mich  sind  Ailill,  Medb,  Conchobar 
mac  Nessa,  Cuchulainn,  Finn  mac  Cumail,  eben  solche  htstorische 
Personlichkeiten  wie  Arminius,  Dietrich  von  Bern,  und  Etzel,  und  ihre 
Zeit  ist  eben  so  bestimmt  wie  die  der  genannten  Helden  und  Konige  " 
{Celtische  Studien^  ii.  189),  and  Professor  Windisch,  who  in  his  recent 


182  IRISH  MYTHOLOGY. 

"  Summary  of  Celtic  Language  and  Literature  "  in  Ersch  and  Gruber's 
Encyclopcedia,  mentions  with  approval  (p.  139)  the  tradition  of  the 
Spanish  origin  of  the  Milesians,  and  repeats  the  opinion  he  had 
previously  expressed  in  1878  as  to  the,  in  the  main,  historical  cha- 
racter of  the  Irish  heroic  cycles.  Nevertheless  I  believe  that  the  latter 
are  in  reality  as  mythical  as  the  mythological  cycle  properly  so  called. 
The  personages  may  have  lived,  but  the  feats  attributed  to  them  are 
older,  and  in  their  origin  mythical.  1  will  cite  one  instance:  the 
turning-point  of  the  great  epic,  the  Tain  bo  Cuailgne,  is  the  fight  at 
the  ford  between  the  Ulster  hero  Cu-Chulaind,  the  Celt  par  excellence^ 
and  the  Firbolg  Ferdiad.  The  two  had  been  companions  in  arms,  their 
friendship  had  been  of  the  closest ;  opposed  now  to  one  another  they 
are  well  nigh  equally  matched  ;  it  is  only  when  Cu-Chulaind  hurls  the 
enchanted  Ga-bolg  at  his  foe  that  he  overcomes  him.  What  is  this 
but  a  double  of  the  fight  between  Lug,  the  Tuatha  de  Danann,  and  the 
Fomore  Balor  whose  kinsman  he  is,  and  whom  he  slays  with  a  stone  ? 
M.  d'Arbois  de  Jubainville  treats  at  some  length  the  Conception  of 
Cu-Chulaind  from  the  L.  n.  H.,  the  translation  of  which  I  have 
printed,  Folk-Lore  Record,  vol.  iv*  pp.  22-25.  I  refer  him  to  my 
comments  upon  the  story  as  illustrating  some  points  he  has  over- 
looked. I  likewise  refer  him  for  a  Cymric  parallel  to  the  tradition  of 
Tuan  mac  Cairill,  oldest  of  men,  who  had  been  first  stag,  then  wild 
boar,  then  eagle,  lastly  salmon,  and  who  has  witnessed  all  the  history 
of  Ireland,  to  the  Mabinogi  of  Kilhwch  and  Olwen,  where  the  hero 
seeks  counsel  of  the  ousel  of  Cilgwri,  and  she  refers  him  to  the  stag 
of  Redynvre,  and  he  to  the  owl  of  Cwm  Cawlwyd,  and  he  to  the  eagle 
of  Gwern  Abwy,  and  he  to  the  salmon  of  Llyn  Llyw,  for  the  record 
of  old  events.  Although  neither  the  animals,  nor  the  order  in  which 
they  are  placed,  coincide,  both  traditions  have,  I  believe,  a  common 
origin.  Lastly,  he  should  notice  the  reflex  of  the  Irish  invasion 
legends  in  the  cauldron-sa<7«  found  in  the  Mabinogi  of  Branwen, 
daughter  of  Llyr,  which  I  have  analysed  and  commented  upon, 
Folk-Lore  Record,  vol.  v.  Alfred  Ndtt. 


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TABULATION  OFFOLK-TALES. 


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NOTES  AND  QUERIES. 

Legend  of  Slain  Warriors. — I  would  refer  Dr.  Buchheim  to  my 
paper  in  the  Folk-Lore  Record,  volume  v.  on  the  Mabinogi  of  Bran- 
wen,  more  especially  to  pages  5,  23,  29,  30,  31,  and  the  supplementary 
note,  pages  149,  150.  For  fuller  discussion  of  the  legend  Dr. 
Buchheim  should  turn  to  Symons's  edition  of  Gudrun,  published  last 
year  at  Halle.  All  the  examples  of  the  legend  known  to  me  as 
occurring  in  these  islands  are  Celtic,  and  the  majority  are  noticed  in 
my  paper.  Alfred  Nutt. 

Syrian  and  Arab  Folk-Lore. — The  valuable  book  of  Captain  C.  K. 
Conder,  R.E.,  on  Heth  and  Moah  (London  :  Bentley,  1883),  contains 
two  chapters  (ix.  and  xi.)  on  "  Syrian  Superstitions  "  and  "Arab  Folk- 
Lore,"  respectively,  with  notes  on  the  following  heads  : — 

Jewish  :  "  Nail  Cutting,"  p.  274.  "  Sanctification  of  the  Moon," 
p.  275.  *'  Hand  of  Might "  (painted  on  doors,  &c.  for  good 
luck),  p.  275.  "  Birth  Ceremonies,"  p.  276. 
Syrian :  "  Marriage  Customs  (Maronite),  pelting  bride,"  p.  285. 
"  Lucky  Days"  (Maronite),  p.  285.  "The  Evil  Eye,"  charm 
for,  in  the  East,  p.  286.  "  Passing  through "  (cf.  "  New 
Birth,"  Mr.  W.  G.  Black's  Folk  Medicine);  "  Pillars,"  p.  292  ; 
"  Palms,"  p.  292 ;  "  Doorways,"  p.  293  ;  "Dolmens,"  p.  293  ; 
"  Treading  on  thresholds  unlucky,"  pp.  293-4. 
Arab :  "  Trial  by  Ordeal,"  still  in  use,  p.  343.  "  Legends," 
p.  346,  et  seq.     "  Colour  in  Folk-lore,"  pp.  286,  860,  and  409. 

Frederick  E.  Sawyer. 
Warwickshire  Folk-Lore,— The  following  scrap  of  folk-lore  is,  I 
think,  of  interest,  as  it  is  recent,  and  I  can  vouch  for  its  authenticity. 
A  few  months  ago,  in  a  village  not  far  from  Stratford-on-Avon,  I 
noticed  a  quantity  of  chaff  before  a  house  door ;  on  my  return  home  I 
mentioned  that  I  supposed  so-and-so  was  moving,  when  I  was  at  once 
met  with  the  reply,  "  Because  of  the  chaff  at  his  door  ?  Oh  no,  that 
is  the  way  our  people  show  their  feelings  for  wife-beaters." 


188  NOTES  AND  QUERIES. 

In  the  same  village  until  the  last  few  years  the  stocks  were  in 
constant  requisition,  but  instead  of  being  fixed  they  were  placed  on  a 
trolly  and  were  moved  round  to  the  more  conspicuous  and  open  places 
so  that  the  neighbours  might  see  the  occupant  to  the  greatest  advantage 
with  the  least  trouble  to  themselves.  Also  I  have  a  proverb  which 
may  perhaps  be  of  use  to  the  Proverb  Committee,  viz.  : — "  What  you 
gain  by  dancing  you  lose  by  turning  round,"  that  is  to  say,  ''  More 
haste,  less  speed."  D'Arcy  Power. 

'Nointer  or  'Nainter. — A  word  used  by  natives  of  the  town  of 
Watlington  (to  which  it  seems  to  be  strictly  confined)  to  signify  a 
troublesome  person. 

Instances: — (1.)  David  Loveday,  Lord  Macclesfield's  shepherd  at 
Shirbum  Model  Farm,  names  his  dog  "  'Nainter,"  because  it  is 
troublesome  as  a  sheep-dog,  barking  at  the  wrong  time,  and  some- 
times worrying  the  sheep.  Loveday  comes  of  an  old  Watlington 
family.  On  being  asked  the  meaning  of  the  name  which  he  had 
given  to  the  dog,  he  explained  that  it  meant  a  '*  reg'lar  Bedlam." 

(2.)  Mrs.  Hoare,  of  Watlington,  calls  her  grandchild  a  "  'nointer" 
when  she  is  troublesome  and  restless.  Mrs.  Hoare  feared  that  a  lady 
would  have  great  trouble  in  painting  the  child  because  she  is  such  a 
"  'nointer." 

Many  people  have  wondered  as  to  the  real  meaning  of  the  word, 
and  some  have  taken  trouble  to  find  it  out.  The  word  is  not  used 
by  natives  of  Shirburn  or  Lewknor  or  other  places  near  Watlington. 
The  true  explanation  is  at  once  apparent  in  the  following  quotation 
from  Dr.  Plot's  Natural  History  of  Oxfordshire  (1677),  page  204, 
paragraph  32.  I  was  enabled  to  make  out  the  explanation  by  reading 
this  quotation  to  Miss  Mary  Watson,  of  Shirburn  Model  Farm.  Miss 
Watson  kindly  gave  me  the  above-mentioned  instances,  and  had 
herself  often  wondered  about  the  word  : — 

"  Yet  but  a  few  miles  off,  at  the  Town  of  Watlington^  1  was  told  of 
a  sort  of  Sectaries^  perhaps  never  heard  of  in  the  world  before;  which, 
if  so,  is  as  strange  as  the  thing  itself,  for  one  would  have  thought 
there  could  have  nothing  been  so  absurd  in  Religion  but  what  must 
have  needs  been  embraced  already.  These  by  the  rest  of  the  people 
are   called  Anointers,  from   the  ceremony  they  use  of  anointing  all 


NOTES  AND  QUERIES.  189 

persons  before  they  admit  them  into  their  Churchy  for  which  they 
allege  the  fifth  of  St.  James,  v.  the  14  and  15.  Is  there  any  sick 
among  you  (which  it  seems  they  account  all  people  to  be  but  them- 
selves), let  him  call  for  the  Elders  of  the  Church,  and  let  them  pray 
over  him,  anointing  him  with  oyl  in  the  name  of  the  Lord;  and  the 
prayer  of  faith  shall  save  the  sick,  and  the  Lord  shall  raise  him  up, 
and  if  he  have  committed  sins  they  shall  be  forgiven  him:  which  Elders 
amongst  them  are  some  poor  Tradesmen  of  the  Town,  and  the  oyl 
they  use,  that  commonly  sold  in  the  shops,  with  which  the  Proselyte 
being  smeared  over,  and  fired  with  zeal,  he  presently  becomes  a  new 
Light  of  this  Church;  which  I  could  not  but  note,  these  people  being 
as  remarkably  mad  as  those  of  Bright-well  are  good.'* 

Edward  B.  Poulton. 
Oxford. 

Notes  from  Weardale.  —  Here  are  some  variants  from  Gregor, 

Folk  Lore  of  North-East  of  Scotland,  p.  16  : 

"  John  Smith,  fellow  fine, 
Can  ye  shoe  this  horse  of  mine  ? 
Yes  I  can,  and  that  I  can, 
As  well  as  any  other  man. 
There's  a  nail  in  his  toe. 
That's  to  make  him  trot  and  go. 
There's  another  in  his  heel, 
That's  to  make  him  gallop  weel. 
There's  a  nail,  and  there's  a  stob. 
That  horse  is  well  shod." 

This  rhyme  was  generally  repeated  to  children  who  resisted  having 
their  clogs  put  on. 

On  page  133  we  find — 


the  variant  is— 


"  Kettie  Beardie  had  a  cow ; 


"  Willie  Wylie  had  a  cow, 
And  he  had  nought  to  give  her. 
He  took  his  pipes  and  played  a  tnne, 
And  bad  the  cow  consider. 
The  cow  considered  very  well, 
And  gave  the  piper  a  penny 
To  play  the  same  tune  over  again, 
The  *  Com  riggs  are  bonny.'  " 


190  NOTES  AND  QUERIES. 

Here  is  a  variant  of  "  countings  out"  : — 

"  Yen  tane,  tether  me,  leather  me,  dick. 
Ceaser,  lazy  cat,  or  a  horn,  or  a  tick. 
Yen  a  tick,  tane  a  tick,  tether  tick,  mether  tick,  bub. 
Yen  a  bub,  tane  a  bub,  tether  bub,  mether  bub,  jiggett." 

This  was  stated  to  be  the  way  in  which  a  Highlander  counted  a  score 

of  sheep. 

On  page  58  the  story  of  working  out  tailors  is  told.  Fifty  years  ago 

the  perambulating  tailor  was  in  great  request,  and  to  see  three  or  four 

of  them  marching  out  of  Stanhope  to  some  distant  farmhouse  was  of 

common  occurrence ;  their  work  might  extend  over  several  days,  during 

which  time  they  lived  with  the  family.     The  following  lines  addressed 

to  an  applicant  tells  its  own  story  :  — 

"  The  twenty-ninth  of  last  September, 
Your  letter  came  to  hand  as  I  remember, 
Desiring  that  I'd  lend  my  aid, 
To  make  and  mend  as  is  my  trade, 
All  which  I'll  do  without  a  failure 
Or  else  I  am  not  Page  the  tailor. 
Anne  Emmerson  you  will  kindly  tell, 
Shall  have  her  coat  made  soon  and  well ; 
And  compliments  to  Master  Beadle, 
Whom  I  will  serve  with  my  best  needle." 

Fixing  the  day  on  which  his  working  party  would  begin  their  work, 
he  finished  thus  : — 

"  And  when  that  Monday  does  come  in, 
We'll  cut  and  stitch  through  thick  and  thin. 
Till  all  the  jobs  are  duly  mended. 
Then  to  return  I  must  engage. 

I  am  your  servant, 

Corbet  Page." 
The  newest  fashions  in  dress  and  factory-made  clothing  have  I  expect 
extinguished  the  itinerating  tailor.  J.  G.  P^enwick. 

Moorlands,  Newcastle-on-Tyne. 

Superstition  in  Ireland. — Ellen  Cushion  and  Anastatia  Rourke 
were  arrested  at  Clonmel  on  Saturday  charged  with  cruelly  illtreating 
a  child  three  years  old,  named  Philip  Dillon.  The  prisoners  were 
taken  before  the  Mayor,  when  evidence  was  given  showing  that  the 
neighbours  fancied  that  the  boy,  who  had  not  the  use  of  his  limbs, 
was  a  changeling  left  by  the  fairies  in  exchange  for  the  original  child. 


NOTES  AND  QUERIES.  191 

While  the  mother  was  absent  the  prisoners  entered  her  house  and 
placed  the  lad  naked  on  a  hot  shovel  under  the  impression  that  this 
would  break  the  charm.  The  poor  little  thing  was  severely  burned, 
and  is  in  a  precarious  condition. — Daily  Telegraphy  19th  May,  1884. 

Overlooking, — At  Bridgwater,  on  Saturday,  a  woman  named 
Thomas  was  fined  1/.  for  assaulting  a  man  named  Winter.  She 
pleaded  that  she  was  "  overlooked  "  by  the  complainant,  and  that 
"the  only  cure  for  that  was  to  draw  blood." — Echo,  19th  May,  1884. 

The  May-pole  at  Bream. — A  new  May-pole  was  erected  on  May- 
day. The  sports  which  were  to  have  taken  place  for  the  benefit  of 
the  juveniles  of  the  village  had  to  be  abandoned  owing  to  the  late 
hour  at  which  the  proceedings  came  to  an  end. 

May  Dew. — The  old  custom  of  "  Maying  "  was  indulged  in  by  a 
few  of  the  young  people  of  Hawick.  Like  the  "  May-pole  Dance," 
the  idea  of  rubbing  the  face  in  the  morning  dew,  whereby  twelve 
months  of  rosy  cheeks  may  be  secured,  is  gradually  dying  out.  Year 
by  year  the  devotees  of  "  May  morning  "  are  becoming  less  and  less, 
and  it  may  reasonably  be  predicted  the  next  generation  will  know 
little  of  the  secret  of  how  rosy  cheeks  were  sought  for  on  early  May 
mornings. — Hawick  Advertiser,  3rd  May. 

May  Queen  at  Chelsea. — The  May  Queen  elected  by  the  students 
of  Whiteland's  College,  Chelsea,  received  from  Mr.  Ruskin  a  gold 
cross  and  thirty-six  volumes  of  his  works. 

May  Queen  at  Knutsford.— The  old  custom  of  crowning  the  May 
Queen  was  performed  at  Knutsford,  in  the  presence  of  some  thousands 
of  spectators.  The  picturesque  ceremony  was  enhanced  in  interest  by 
the  circumstance  that  Lord  Tennyson  had  written  Mr.  Lever,  of 
Culcheth  Hall,  Cheshire,  a  warm,  sympathetic  letter,  expressing  his 
hope  that  the  Knutsford  people  might  long  continue  their  time- 
honoured  festival.  The  prettiest  child  in  the  village  was  crowned 
Queen  of  the  May. 

May  Day  in  Shrewsbury. — Although  the  weather  was  hardly  such 
as  the  poets  universally  associate  with  "blithe  May-day,"  still  the 
annual  festival  was  not  passed  by  without  some  notice  in  this  town. 
At  three  o'clock  several  members  of  the  Corporation  visited  the  Cor- 
poration yard  in  Coleham,  and  inspected  "  the  live  and  dead  stock. 


192  NOTICES  AND  NEWS. 

and  very  shortly  after  the  whole  proceeded  to  the  Square.  Here  also 
assemhled  the  horses  and  drays  of  the  railway  companies  and  of 
different  firms  in  the  town,  and  a  procession  was  made  up.  The  pro- 
cession proceeded  up  Pride-hill,  along  Castle-foregate,  through  Castle 
Fields,  back  up  the  Gates,  and  down  Pride-hill,  Mardol,  and  Frank- 
well;  and  then  again  back  to  the  centre  of  the  town.  In  several 
schools  of  the  town  *'  May  Queens  "  were  chosen  and  adorned  with 
flowers. 

NOTICES  AND  NEWS. 

The  ancient  custom  of  singing  an  anthem  on  May  morning  from 
tlie  top  of  Magdalen  Tower,  Oxford,  was  observed  this  year. 

Mr.  Charles  Leland  is  carrying  on  his  researches  into  Red  Indian 
folk-lore.  He  has  promised  a  book  on  the  subject,  in  which  he  hopes 
to  establish  the  influence  exercised  by  early  Scandinavian  settlers  on 
the  traditions  of  the  North  American  Indian  tribes.  Mr,  Leland 
intends  to  pay  a  visit  to  England  during  the  summer. 

Prof.  C.  T.  Newton  commenced  on  May  2nd,  at  University  College, 
a  course  of  lectures  on  Greek  myths  as  illustrated  by  vases. 

English  folk-lorists  will  be  glad  to  learn  that  Italy  now  has  a  Folk- 
Lore  Society.  The  name  chosen  is  that  of  "  Society  per  lo  studio 
delle  Tradizioni  popolari  in  Italia,"  the  seat  of  the  Society  being 
Palermo.  An  annual  volume  will  be  published,  containing  the 
transactions  of  the  Society,  a  copy  of  which  will  be  sent  to  every 
member  paying  five  francs  per  annum ;  and  other  publications  will 
appear,  bearing  on  Italian  traditions.  The  Committee  consists  of  nine 
members,  including  Dr.  Giuseppe  Pitre,  whose  well  known  and  dis- 
tinguished name  is  almost  a  guarantee  for  the  success  of  the  under- 
taking. 

We  are  glad  to  hear  that  the  London  Library  are  collecting  all 
their  Folk-lore  books  into  one  room. 


IRISH  FOLK-TALES. 

By  James  Britten,  F.L.S. 
{Continued  from  Folk-Lore  Journal,  vol.  i.  p.  324.) 


No.  VI. — The  Story  of  John  and  the  Amulet. 

\_This  story  was  written  down,  like  the  jfrecedlng,  by  John  Hannen,  at  the 
dictation  of  his  father.'] 

OW  there  was  once  a  Shoundrec  *  travelling  in  Ireland, 
and  one  night,  not  knowing  where  to  sleep,  he  went  for  a 
night's  lodging  to  a  house  up  in  the  mountains.  They 
took  him  in  and  gave  him  food.  Now  that  night  there 
was  a  child  born  in  the  house,  and  the  Shoundree  went  out  and  con- 
sulted the  stars.  He  came  in  and  said  that  the  child  was  horn  under 
an  unlucky  planet,  and  he  then  wrote  upon  a  slip  of  parchment  the 
child's  fate.  It  was  that  he  would  be  devoured  by  a  four-footed  beast. 
*'  Now,"  said  the  Shoundree,  *'  when  the  boy  grows  up,  send  him  to 
school,  and  hang  this  parchment  in  a  purse  round  his  neck,  and  tell 
him  on  no  account  to  open  it." 

The  baby  grew  up  and  was  called  John,  and  he  was  sent  to  school 
with  the  amulet  round  his  neck.  One  day  he  chanced  to  think  of  the 
purse  round  his  neck  and  wondered  what  was  in  it.  At  last  he  got 
so  curious  that  he  opened  it  and  read  what  was  in  it.  That  night 
when  he  went  home  his  father  noticed  how  sad  he  was  looking,  and 
said,  "  What  ails  you,  John  ?  "  "  Nothing,  father,"  he  replied.  "  Have 
jou  opened  the  purse,  John  ?"  said  the  father.  "  Yes,  father,"  said 
he,  "and  I  wish  that  whatever  you  have  to  give  me  as  a  legacy  will 
be  given  to  me  now."  His  father  gave  him  some  money  and  he  went 
off.  In  the  evening,  as  he  was  wandering  in  the  woods,  he  came 
across  a  little  open  plot  of  grass.  "  Here,"  he  said,  "I  will  lie,  and 
*  Prophet,  wise  man. 

Vol.  2. — Part  7.  o 


194  IKISH  FOLK-TALES. 

then  if  the  beast  devours  me  in  the  night,  passei-s-by  will  see  my  body." 
Just  then  he  saw  a  light  in  the  woods.  "  I  will  go  there,"  said  he, 
"  and  tell  the  people  of  the  house  where  to  find  my  body."  He  went 
there  and  the  man  of  the  house  came  out,  and  seeing  John  so  sad  made 
him  tell  him  the  reason  for  it.  John  told  him  that  it  was  his  fate  to 
be  torn  to  pieces  by  a  four-footed  beast.  The  man  said,  *•  Come  in 
and  I  will  try  to  protect  you  from  the  beast."  John  went  in,  and 
the  man  gave  a  good  supper  to  John,  and  a  bitch  called  Fiss.*  Then 
he  said  to  the  bitch,  "  Fiss,  go  and  guard  this  house  to-night,  and 
don't  let  any  man  or  beast  come  near  it."  Fiss  went,  and  in  the  night 
a  great  bull  came,  tearing  up  the  ground,  and  roaring  and  snorting, 
l)ellowing  and  pawing  with  his  foot,  and  when  he  came  near  the  house 
he  commanded  John  to  be  brought  out,  and  said  that  all  the  world 
would  tremble  at  the  sight  of  what  he  would  do  to  him.  Fiss  attacked 
him,  and  before  morning  the  bull  had  to  go  away  defeated.  So  for 
that  night  John  was  safe.  In  the  morning,  the  man  of  the  house  said 
to  him,  •*  John,  go  to  my  brother's  house  now,  but  take  my  little 
bitch,  Fiss,  with  you  to  protect  you."  John  took  the  bitch  and  went 
to  the  brother's  house.  The  brother  asked  him  why  he  looked  so  sad, 
and  John  told  him  that  it  had  been  prophesied  of  him  that  he  was  to 
be  killed  by  a  four-footed  beast.  The  man  told  him  to  come  in  and 
that  he  would  protect  him  for  the  night.  John  went  in,  and  the  man 
said,  ** Whose  dog  is  that?  it  looks  like  my  brother's. "  John  an- 
swered, "  Oh,  he  gave  it  to  me  to  guard  me  against  the  beast."  The 
man  said,  ''  All  right,"  and  gave  him  and  his  bitcli,  and  his  own  bitcli, 
Lice,t  a  good  supper.  In  the  night  the  bull  came  roaring  and 
bellowing,  snorting  and  tearing  up  the  ground  ten  times  fiercer  than 
before.  He  demanded  John  to  be  sent  out,  and  he  said  that  all  the 
world  would  shake  at  the  sight  of  what  he  was  going  to  do  to  him. 
Then  the  two  bitches,  Fiss  and  Lice,  who  had  been  connnanded  to 
watch  the  house,  flew  at  him,  and  a  terrible  battle  was  fought,  so  that 
the  bull  had  to  go  away  before  morning,  beaten.  So  John  was  again 
safe.  "  Now,"  said  the  man,  next  morning,  "  go  to  my  brother's  house, 
and  since  my  brother  has  been  so  kind  to  you  I  will  give  you  this 
bitch.  Lice."  So  John  travelled  on  till  he  came  to  the  third  brother's 
♦  Knowledge^  t  Cure. 


IRISH  FOLK-TALES.  195 

house.  He  went  in,  and  the  man  asked  liini  why  he  looked  so  down 
in  the  mouth.  He  told  him  about  the  prophecy  that  **  he  was  to  be 
put  to  death  by  a  four-footed  beast."  The  man  told  him  to  come  in, 
and  then  asked  liim  whose  bitches  they  were  that  he  had,  because  they 
looked  like  his  two  brothers'  bitches.  John  said  that  they  had  been 
given  him  by  the  two  brothers.  The  man  said  "All  right,"  and  then 
gave  John,  and  his  two  bitches,  and  a  dog  of  his  own,  called  Nart,*  a 
good  supper.  Then  he  told  the  dogs  to  guard  the  house,  and  in  the 
night  the  bull  came,  ten  times  fiercer  than  ever  he  had  come  before, 
and  demanded  John  to  be  sent  out,  and  then  the  dogs  set  on  him,  and 
such  a  terrible  battle  was  fought  that  with  their  feet  the  hard  ground 
was  made  soft,  and  the  soft  ground  was  made  hard.  But  before  the 
morning  the  bull  had  to  go  away  defeated.  "Now,"  said  the  man, 
"  since  my  two  brothers  have  been  so  kind  to  you,  I  will  give  you  my 
dog,  Nart."  So  they  bade  good-bye  to  one  another,  and  John  went 
off. 

He  had  now  three  dogs — Fiss,  Lice,  and  Nart — (knowledge,  cure, 
and  strength),  and  as  he  was  walking  along  he  met  a  gentleman  who 
asked  him  if  he  wanted  any  employment.  John  said  he  did,  and 
the  gentleman  asked  him  what  he  could  do.  John  answered  that  he 
could  mind  cows.  The  gentleman  said  that  he  wanted  a  herd,  so  John 
engaged  with  the  gentleman.  Then  Fiss,  who  knew  everything, 
whispered  to  John,  "  Be  careful  of  that  man,  for  he  is  your  enemy 
though  he  does  not  know  that  he  is,  because  it  is  his  daughter  who 
sends  the  bull  after  you  ;  so  take  my  advice,  never  get  drunk,  make  an 
agreement  that  we  are  to  sleep  in  the  same  room  always  with  you,  and 
never  lose  your  presence  of  mind  or  get  off  your  guard,  but  always 
take  us  about  with  you.  Another  thing,  when  you  go  into  the  farm- 
yard with  the  gentleman  to  see  his  stock,  be  very  careful  of  the  bull, 
which  is  enchanted.  The  gentleman  will  tell  you  to  take  us  away  or 
else  the  bull  will  kill  us.  Do  not,  but  tell  him  that  if  he  likes  you 
will  set  us  at  the  bull.  We  will  fly  at  him,  and  then  when  he  sees  his 
bull  near  killed  he  will  ask  you  to  call  us  off.  Then  call  us  off." 
John  went  the  next  morning  to  see  his  master's  stock,  and  when  the 
bull  saw  him  it  began  roaring  and  pawing  the  ground.     "  Take  your 

*  Strength. 

o2 


196  IRISH  FOLK-TALES. 

dogs  away,"  said  the  gentleman,  '*or  it  will  kill  them."  "Never 
mind,"  said  John  ;  "  if  you  like  we  will  set  the  dogs  on  him  and  have 
some  sport." 

After  some  hesitation,  the  gentleman  agreed,  and  Nart  grahbedthe 
bull  and  held  him  down  by  the  nose,  while  Fiss  and  Lice  tore  at  the 
diflferent  parts  of  his  body.  After  a  while  the  gentleman  said,  "  Call 
off  your  dogs."  John  called  them  off,  and  they  came  and  stood  in  a 
circle  round  John. 

John  went  on  with  his  work  after  this,  and  did  all  that  the  bitch 
had  told  him.  Now,  after  a  long  time,  it  happened  that  John  was 
going  to  get  married  to  the  gentleman's  daughter.  Before  the  mar- 
riage, Fiss  again  came  up  to  warn  him.  She  said,  "  Whatever  you 
do,  don't  drink  any  of  the  wine  they'll  give  you,  and  don't  get  drunk. 
Also  notice  the  little  lap-dog  the  lady  will  have  in  her  arms.  It  is 
the  bull  changed  into  the  shape  of  a  dog.  She  will  come  up  to  you 
and  show  you  the  dog  to  admire.  Admire  it,  but  keep  your  eyes  on 
the  dog,  which  will  stare  you  in  the  face.  Presently  you  will  see  the 
princess  loosen  her  arm  and  the  dog  preparing  to  fly  at  your  threat-; 
then  with  a  sweep  of  your  arm  knock  him  under  the  table  to  us,  and 
being  a  lap-dog  he  will  only  have  the  strength  of  a  lap-dog,  and  we 
will  soon  manage  him." 

The  next  day  John  was  married  to  the  lady,  and  in  the  evening,  at 
the  marriage-feast,  he  didn't  taste  a  drop  of  wine  or  other  strong  drink. 
Soon  the  princess  came  up  with  a  handsome  little  dog  in  her  arms. 
**  Isn't  he  a  pretty  little  dog  ?  "  said  the  princess.  "  Oh  !  very  beau- 
tiful, very  handsome  dog,"  said  John,  as  he  saw  the  dog  crouching  for 
a  spring  at  his  throat.  Then  he  saw  the  princess's  arms  loosen  a  bit, 
and  with  a  backhand  smack  of  his  arm  he  sent  the  dog  sprawling 
under  the  table.  A  few  yells,  and  all  was  over.  But  Fiss,  who  knew 
everything,  began  to  grind  and  destroy  every  little  bit  of  the  lap-dog, 
for  she  knew  that  so  long  as  there  was  any  particle,  however  small, 
left  of  him,  he  would  still  be  alive.  For  all  poor  Fiss's  trouble,  how- 
ever, there  was  a  tiny  splinter  of  bone  left,  and  the  princess  put  that 
in  John's  bed.  In  the  night,  when  John  went  to  bed,  the  splinter  shot 
up  through  his  body  and  poor  John  was  dead — dead  as  a  door-nail. 
The  poor  dogs  could  not  help  him  now>  because,  thinking  all  danger 


FOLK-LORE  PUBLICATIONS  IN  ENGLISH.  197 

to  have  ended  with  the  death  of  the  bull,  he  had  let  them  be  locked 
up  in  another  room.  When  the  funeral  had  started,  carrying  poor 
John  to  his  grave,  Nart  broke  open  the  door  where  they  were,  and 
the  three  rushed  out  after  the  funeral.  When  they  came  up  with  it, 
the  men  who  were  carrying  the  coffin  were  so  frightened  that  they 
dropped  it.  Nart  tore  off  the  lid  and  drew  the  splinter  of  bone.  Then 
said  he  to  Lice,  "  Lick  the  wound."  Lice  licked  it  and  John  sprang 
up,  as  well  as  ever.  As  soon  as  he  stepped  out  of  the  coffin,  Fiss 
and  Lice  changed  into  the  most  beautiful  ladies  that  were  ever  seen, 
and  Nart  became  a  strong  handsome  young  man  and  went  and  killed 
the  princess.  They  had  been  enchanted  by  the  bull,  and,  now  that  he 
was  really  dead,  changed  into  their  own  shapes.  Then  John  married 
Fiss,  and  they  lived  happily  ever  afterwards. 


BIBLIOGEAPHY  OF 
FOLK-LOKE  PUBLICATIONS  IN  ENGLISH. 

By  G.  L.  Gomme,  F.S.A. 

{Continued  from  vol.  i.  p.  394.) 

Archaeologist,  The,  and  journal  of  antiquarian  science.  Edited  by 
James  Orchard  Halliwell.  Nos.  i.  to  x.  London,  1842.  8vo.  pp.  iv. 
292  ;  194. 

The  following  articles  relate  to  folk-lore  : — 

**A  description  of  the  King  and  Queene  of  Fayries,  1635  "  (pp.  24-26) — Old 
ballads  (30-33)— Wise  men  of  Gotham  (129-130)— Fairy  mythology  (170-174) 
—Pageant  play  of  St.  George  (176-183)— A  legend  of  Camac  (213-215)— 
Prosecution  of  witches  (23-28). 

Crypt,  The :  or  receptacle  for  things  past :  an  antiquarian,  literary 
and  miscellaneous  journal.  Ringwood,  1827-1828.  12mo.  Vols,  i.-iii. 

The  following  are  the  folk-lore  items  : — 

Vol.  i. — Fourme  of  Byddyng  the  Common  Prayers— On  the  mode  of  adminis- 
tering oaths. 

Vol.  ii. — Legend  of  Canterbury  Cathedral — Ceremony  of  the  prize  besome 
at  Shaftesbury— The  mysteries  of  mumming — The  queen  of  the  West  Saxons; 
a  legend  of  Corfe  Castle — Lin-Crocking  ;  a  Dorsetshire  custom — The  devil  of 
Ferrara. 

Vol.  iii. — Agatha  Latour  ;  a  tradition  of  St.  Giles'  Hill,  Winton — Singular 
custom  of  Warebam  Manor — Fairy  songs. 


198  BIBLIOGRAPHY  OF  FOLK-LORE 

Crypt,  The,  or  receptacle  of  things  past,  and  West  of  England 
magazine.     New  series.     Vol.  i.     Winchester  [1829],  8yo. 

Contents  :  The  custom  of  shaking  hands— Ancient  characteristics  of  months 
and  seasons — The  Tong  Bell ;  a  Shropshire  legend. 

D'Alwis  (James).  Notes  on  the  mythological  legends  of  the  Singhalese. 
Jouimal  of  the  Ceylon  branch  of  Royal  Asiatic  Society^  1858-9, 
pp.  10-42. 

Dalyell  (John  Graham).  Darker  superstitions  of  Scotland,  illus- 
trated from  history  and  practice.  Edinburgh,  1834.  8vo.  pp.  xii. 
700. 

Chapters:  i.  Of  an  evil  eye,  invocations  and  maledictions.  ii.  Occult 
infection  and  cure  of  malaclies.  iii.  Miscellaneous  remedies,  or  antidotes 
to  disease,  iv.  Amulets,  v.  Analogies  to  propitiatory  sacrifice,  vi.  Propi- 
tiatory charms,  vii.  Faculties  ascribed  to  sorcerers,  viii.  Sujierstitions 
relative  to  marriage,  ix.  Doctrine  of  sympathy,  x.  Ingredients  and  instru- 
ments of  superstition  and  sorcery,  xi.  Mystical  plants,  xii.  Mystical  animals, 
xiii.  Mystical  mankind,  xiv.  Prognostication,  divination,  xv.  Imaginary 
beings,  xvi.  Spectral  illusions,  xvii.  The  tongues,  xviii.  Tests,  trials,  con- 
viction and  punishment  of  sorcery.    Addenda.    Index. 

The  darker  superstitions  of   Scotland. 


Glasgow,  1835.     8vo.  pp.  xii.  700. 
[Same  contents  as  above.] 

Damant  (G.  H.)    Bengali  folk-lore.    Indian  Antiquary ^  vol.  i.  (1872), 
pp.  115-120,  170-172,  218-219,  285-286,  344-345. 

Bengali  folk-lore.    Legends  from  Dinajpur.  Indian 

Antiquary,  1873-5,  vol.  ii.  pp.  271,  357-360;  vol.  iii.  pp.  9-12, 
320-321,342-343;  iv.  54-59. 

(1)  The  two  Ganja-eaters.  (2)  The  story  of  the  touchstone.  (.3)  The  two 
bhuts.  The  jackal  and  the  crocodile.  The  king  who  married  a  Pali  woman. 
The  farmer  who  outwitted  the  six  men.  (4)  The  minister  and  the  fool.  (5)  The 
tolls  of  Goiiil  Hat.    (6)  The  finding  of  the  dream. 

Sword  worship   in    Kuchar.     Indian    Antiquary, 

1875,  vol.  iv.  pp.  114-115. 

The    two    brothers :    a   Manipuri   story.      Indian 


Antiquary,  1875,  vol.  iv.  pp.  260-264. 

The  story  of  Khambaand  Thoibi:  a  Manipuri  tale. 


Indian  Antiquary,  1877,  vol.  vi.  pp.  219-226. 

Danaeus  (Lambertus).  A  dialogue  of  witches,  in  foretime  called  lot- 
tellers  and  now  commonly  called  sorcerers ;  wherein  is  declared 
breefely  and  effectually  whatsoeucr  may  be  required  touching  that 
argument.  Written  in  Latin  l)y  Lambei-tus  Danaeus  and  now 
translated  into  English.  Printed  by  R.  W.  1575,  12mo.  black 
letter,     a  3  leaves  ;  r.-L  in  eights,  the  last  two  leaves  blank. 


rUBLICATIONS  IN  ENGLISH.  199 

D'Anvers  (Henry).     Solomon's  proverbs  English  and  Latin,  alpha- 
betically collected  for  help  of  memory,  fitted  for  the  use  of  schools. 
By  H.  D.     London,  1676,  sm.  8vo.     4  in  eights. 
[Prefixed  is  an  epistle  to  the  reader  explaining  the  use  of  proverbs.] 

Darrell  (John).  Survey  of  certain  dialogical  discourses  about  devils. 
1602.     4to. 

["  Here  are  many  remarkable  things  about  witches  and  spirits  in  this  tract." — 
Note  by  Thomas  Hearne ;  see  his  catalogue  of  books  printed  in  Appendix  xvii. 
to  Bliss's  Itcliquiac  HernlanaCy  vol.  iii.  p.  290.] 

Dasent  (Sir  George  Webbe).  Tales  from  the  Fjeld.  A  second 
series  of  popular  tales  from  the  Norse  of  P.  Chr.  Asbjornsen. 
London,  1874.    8vo.    Pp.  xv.  375. 

Contents  :  Osborn's  pipe— The  haunted  mill  and  the  honest  penny — The 
death  of  chanticleer  and  the  greedy  cat — Peter  the  forester  and  Grumble 
Gizzard — Peter's  three  tales  :  Father  Bruin  in  the  corner,  Reynard  and 
Chanticleer,  Goodman  Axchaft — The  companion — The  shopboy  and  his 
cheese— Peik — Karin's  three  stories  :  Death  and  the  doctor,  The  way  of  the 
world,  The  pancake — Peter's  beast  stories  :  Pork  and  honey,  The  hare  and 
the  heiress.  Slip  root.  Catch  Reynard's  foot,  Bruin  Goodfellow,  Bruin  and 
Reynard  partners,  Reynard  wants  to  taste  horseflesh — Master  Tobacco— The 
charcoal-burner — The  box  with  something  pretty  in  it — The  three  lemons — 
The  priest  and  the  clerk — Friends  in  life  and  death — The  father  of  the 
family — Three  years  without  wages — Our  parish  clerk— Silly  men  and 
cunning  wives — Taper  Tom — The  trolls  in  Hedale  Wood — The  skipper  and 
Old  Nick— Goody  gainst  the  stream — How  to  win  a  prince—  Boots  and  the 
beasts — The  sweetheart  in  the  wood — How  they  got  llairlock  home — Osborne 
Boots  and  Mr.  Glibtongue — This  is  the  lad  who  sold  the  pig — The  sheep  and 
the  pig  who  set  up  house — The  golden  palace  that  hung  in  the  air — Little 
Freddy  with  his  fiddle — Mother  Roundabout's  daughter — The  green  knight 
— Boots  and  his  crew — The  town-mouse  and  the  fell-mouse— Silly  Matt— 
King  Valemon,  the  white  bear — The  golden  bird. 


— ^ Popular    tales    from    the    Norse. 

With  an  introductory  essay  on  the  origin  and  diffusion  of  popular 
tales.    Edinburgh,  1879.    8vo.    Pp.  Ixxxviii.  432. 

Contents  :  Introduction.  True  and  untrue — Why  the  sea  is  salt — The  old 
dame  and  her  hen — Boots  who  ate  a  match  with  the  troll — Hacon  Grizzle- 
beard — Boots  who  made  the  princess  say  "  That's  a  story  !  " — The  giant  who 
had  no  heai-t  in  his  body — l.'hc  fox  as  herdsman — The  mastennaid — The  cat 
on  the  Dovrefcll — Princess  on  the  glass  hill — How  one  went  out  to  woo — 
The  cock  and  hen — The  master  smith — Buttercup — Taming  the  Shrew — 
Shortshanks — Gudbrand  on  the  hill-side— The  blue  belt — Why  the  bear  is 
stumpy-tailed — Not  a  pin  to  choose  between  them — One's  own  children  are 
always  prettiest— The  three  princesses  of  Whiteland— The  lassie  and  her 
godmother — The  three  aunts — The  cock,  the  cuckoo,  and  the  blackcock — 
Rich  Peter  the  pedlar — Gertrude's  bird — Boots  and  the  troll — Goosey  Grizzel 
— The  lad  who  went  to  the  North  Wind — The  master  thief — The  best  wish — 
The  three  billygoats— Gruff— Well  done  and  ill  paid — East  o'  the  Sun  and 
West  o'  the  Moon — The  husband  who  was  to  mind  the  house — Dapplegrim — 
Farmer  Weathersky — The  two  step-sisters — Lord  Peter — The  seven  foals — The 
widow's  son — Bushy  bride— Boots  and  his  brother— The  twelve  wild  ducks. 


200  BIBLIOGRAPHY  OF  FOLK-LORE 

Davenport  (John).  The  witches  of  Huntingdon,  their  examinations 
and  confessions,  exactly  taken  by  his  Majesties  justices  of  peace 
for  that  county,  whereby  will  appeare  how  craftily  and  dangerously 
the  devill  tempteth  and  seizeth  on  poor  soules.  London,  1646.  4to. 
A — c,  2  in  fours. 
[This  is  in  the  British  Museum  Librarj'.J 

Davids  (T.  W.  Rhys).  Buddhist  birth- stories,  or  Jataka  tales :  the 
oldest  collection  of  folk-lore  extant :  being  the  Jatakatthavannana, 
for  the  first  time  edited  in  the  original  Pali  by  V.  FausboU,  and 
translated  by  T.  W.  Rhys  Davids.     London,  1880,  pp.  ciii.  388. 

Contents  :  Translator's  Introduction.  The  book  of  hirth-storics  and  their 
migration  to  the  West.  The  birth-stories  in  India.  Supplementary  tables. 
The  Ceylon  compiler's  introduction.  The  birth  stories  : — Holding  to  the 
truth— the  sandy  road— The  merchant  of  Seri— The  story  of  ChuUaka  the 
treasurer — The  measure  of  rice— On  true  divinity — The  story  of  Makha 
Deva— The  happy  life— The  story  of  beauty— The  banyan  deer— The  dart  of 
love — The  greedy  antelope — The  deer  who  would  not  learn — The  cunning 
deer— The  wind— On  offering  food  to  the  dead — On  offering  given  under  a 
vow— The  monkeys  and  the  demon— The  wily  antelope — The  dog  who 
turned  preacher — The  Bhoja  thoroughbred — The  thoroughbred  war-horse — 
The  horse  at  the  ford — PWil  communications  corrupt  good  manners — The 
elephant  and  the  dog — The  bull  who  won  the  bet— The  old  woman's  black 
bull — The  ox  who  envied  the  pig — On  mercy  to  animals — The  dancing 
peacock — The  sad  quarrel  of  the  quails — The  fish  and  his  wife— The  holy 
quail — The  wise  bird  and  the  fools — The  partridge,  monkey  and  elephant— 
The  cruel  crane  outwitted— Nanda  on  the  buried  gold — The  fiery  furnace. 

Davie  (John  Constance).  Letters  from  Paraguay:  describing  the 
settlements  of  Monte  Video  and  Buenos  Ayres  ;  the  presidencies  of 
Risja  Minor,  nombre  de  Dios,  St.  Mary  and  St.  John,  &c.  with  the 
manners,  customs,  religious  ceremonies,  &c.,  of  the  inhabitants. 
Written  during  a  residence  of  seventeen  months  in  that  country. 
London,  1805.  8vo.  pp.  vii.  293. 
[There  is  nothing  of  importance  in  this  book.] 

Davis  (Sir  John  Francis).  Chinese  novels,  translated  from  the 
originals ;  to  which  are  added  proverbs  and  moral  maxims  collected 
from  their  classical  books,  and  other  sources ;  the  whole  prefaced 
by  observations  on  the  language  and  literature  of  China.  London, 
1822.  8vo.  pp.  250. 
[The  proverbs  occupy  pp.  225-250.] 

Dawson  (James).  Australian  aborigines  ;  the  languages  and  customs 
of  several  tribes  of  aborigines  in  the  western  district  of  Victoria, 
Australia.  Melbourne,  Sydney  and  Adelaide,  1881.  4to.  pp.  viii. 
110,  and  ciii. 

Contents  :  Cap.  i.  Tribes,  ii.  Population,  iii.  Chiefs,  iv.  Property 
V.  Clothing,  vi.  Habitations,  vii.  Cleanliness,  viii.  Domestic  furniture 
ix.  Cooking  and  food.  x.  Tools,  xi.  Laws  of  marriage,  xii.  Children, 
xiii.  Names  of  persons,  xiv.  Superstitions  and  diseases,  xv.  Death  and 
burial,      xvi.    Avenging  of  death,     xvii.  Great  meetings,     xviii.  Amuse- 


PUBLICATIONS  IN  ENGLISH.  201 

raents.  xix.  Weapons,  xx.  Animals,  xxi.  Meteorology,  astronomy,  &c. 
xxii.  Native  mounds,  xxiii.  Anecdotes— Conveyance  of  100,000  acres  of 
land— Vocabularies— Notes  to  chapters  xi.  xii.  xiii.  and  xiv.-  Reports  of 
Government  inspectors  of  aboriginal  schools. 

Day  (Rev.  Lai  Behari).  Folk-tales  of  Bengal.  London,  1883. 
Pp.  xii.  284. 

Contents  :  Preface.  Life's  secret — Phakir  Chand — The  indigent  Brahman — 
The  story  of  the  Rakshasas— The  story  of  Swet-Basanta — The  evil  eye  of  Sani 
— The  boy  whom  seven  mothers  suckled — The  story  of  Prince  Sobur — The 
origin  of  opium — Strike  but  hear — The  adventures  of  two  thieves  and  of  their 
sons— The  ghost  Brahman — The  man  who  wished  to  be  perfect— A  ghostly 
wife — The  story  of  a  Brahmadaitya — The  story  of  a  Hiraman — The  origin  of 
rubies — The  match-making  jackal — The  boy  with  the  moon  on  his  forehead — 
The  ghost  who  was  afraid  of  being  bagged — The  field  of  bones— The  bald 
wife. 

Delamothe  (G.  N.)  The  French  alphabet,  teaching  in  a  very  short 
time  by  a  most  easie  way  to  pronounce  French  naturally,  to  reade  it 
perfectly,  to  write  it  truly,  and  to  speake  it  accordingly ;  together 
with  the  treasure  of  the  French  tongue,  containing  the  rarest 
sentences,  proverbes,  parables,  similes,  apothegmes  and  golden 
sayings  of  the  most  excellent  French  authors  as  well  poets  as 
orators,  by  G.  D.  L.  M.  N.     London,  1631.     12mo.  pp.  159. 

De  Loier  (Peter).  A  treatise  of  specters,  or  strauiige  sights,  visions, 
and  apparitions  appearing  sensibly  unto  men.     1605.     4to. 

[I  have  not  seen  this.  A  copy  is  in  the  Bodleian;  see  Hazlitt's  Handhooh  to 
Early  English  Literature,  p.  152;  and  recently  a  copy  was  offered  for  sale  by 
Brown,  of  Edinburgh,  at  £1  15*. ;  there  is  not  a  copy  in  the  British  Museum.] 

Dendy  (Walter  Cooper).  The  philosophy  of  mystery.  London,  1841. 
8vo.  pp.  xii.  443. 

In  the  form  of  conversation  under  the  following  chapters  :  The  challenge — 
Nature  and  motives  of  ghosts — Prophecy  of  spectres — Illusion  of  spectres — 
Phantasy  from  mental  association — Phantasy  from  cei'ebral  excitement — 
Phantasy  from  cerebral  congestion — Poetic  phantasy— Phantasy  from  sym- 
pathy with  the  brain — Mysterious  forms  and  signs — Analysis  and  classification 
of  spectral  illusion— Illusions  of  art — Illustration  of  mysterious  sounds — Fairy 
mythology —Dem(mology  —  Nature  of  soul  and  mind  —  Nature  of  sleep  — 
Sublimity  and  imperfection  of  dreaming — Prophecy  of  dreams — Moral  causes 
of  dreaming— Anachronism  and  coincidence  of  dreams — Intense  impression — 
Influence  of  dark  blood  on  the  brain — Incubus  or  nightmare — Somniloquence 
and  somnambulism — Imitative  monomania  —  Reverie — Abstraction  of  in- 
tellect— Somnolence,  trance,  and  catalepsy — Premature  interment— Trans- 
migration— Mesmerism — Sibylline  influence. 
[There  does  not  seem  to  be  much  of  value  in  this  volume.] 

Denham  (Michael  Aislabie).  A  collection  of  proverbs  and  popular 
sayings  relating  to  the  seasons,  the  weather,  and  agricultural  pursuits, 
gathered  chiefly  from  oral  tradition.  London  (Percy  Society), 
1856.    8vo.  pp.  iv.  73. 

Contents  :  Preface— General  adages,  proverbs,  &c. — General  proverbs  in 
rhyme  — Dayes  of  the  weke  moralysed — [months]— addenda:  a  song  for 
Chnstmas  day. 


202  BIBLIOGRAPHY  OP  POLK-LORE 

Denham  (Michael  Aislabie).    Slogans  of  the  North   of  England. 
Newcastlo-on-Tync,  1851.     4to.  pp.  xxx.  32. 

I ^-^—     Folk-lore :     or   a  collection   of  local 

rhymes,   proverbs,   sayings,   prophecies,    slogans,   etc.  relating    to 

Northumberland,     Newcastle-on-Tyne,      and      Berwick-on-Tweed. 

Richmond,  in  com.  Ebor.  1858.     8vo.  pp.  xii.  142  (last  two  not 

numbered). 

[Only  fifty  copies  printed  of  this.    There  is  no  name  or  nom  ile  plume  on 

this  book.] 

— — A    revelation   or   charact.      Durham, 


1854.     8vo.  pp.  3. 

[A  charm.    This  is  signed  M.  A.  D.] 

A  chapter  of  cuckoo  cries  endeavoured 


by  M.  A.  D.     Durham,  1854.     8vo.  pp.  11. 

To  all  and  singular  the  ghosts,  hob- 


goblins,  and  phantasms  of  the  United  Kingdom  of  Great  Britain 
and  Ireland  these  brief  pages  are  fearlessly  inscribed  in  utter 
defiance  of  their  power  and  influence  by  their  verie  humble  ser- 
vaunte  to  command  M.  A.  D.     [Durham,  1851.]     8vo.  pp.  G. 

Folk-lore,  or  manners  and  customs 'of 


the  North  of  England.     By  M.  A.  D.     Newcastle-on-Tyne,  1850. 
8vo.  pp.  2  leaves,  22. 
[Only  fifty  copies  printed.] 

Folk  -  lore,    or     manners,     customs. 


weather  proverbs,  popular  charms,  juvejiile  rhymes,  ballads,  &c. 
in  the  North  of  England.  By  M.  A.  D.  Newcastle-on-Tyne, 
1851.     8vo.  pp.  12. 

Odd  names  of  places  in  the  North  of 


England.     By  Autolycus.     Durham,  1856.     8vo.  pp.  4. 

I'll  Neville  you,"  &c.  [By  M.  A.  D. 


Durham,  1851].     8vo.  pp.  4. 

Supplement    to     the    local    rhymes, 


proverbs,  sayings,  &c.  of  the  county  of  Durham.     Durham,  1859. 

8vo.  pp.  8. 

[Only  fifty  copies  printed.] 

Rhymes     and    proverbs    relating    to 


hawking  and  the  chase.  [By  Autolycus  (no  place),  1857.]  8vo.  pp.  2. 
[Only  fifty  copies  printed  :  there  is  no  title-page.] 
To  Old  Father  Christmas  and  Janus 


the   double-faced  god,  this  tract  of  the  rhymes  and  proverbs  of 
Yule-tide  and  the  New  Year  is  right  humbly  inscribed.     [Durham, 
1853.]     8vo.  pp.  12. 
[There  is  no  title-page.  ] 


rUBLICATIONS  IN  ENGLISH.  203 

Denham  (Michael  Aislabie).     A  few  popular  rhymes,  proverbs,  and 
sayings  relating  to  fairies,  witches,  and  gipsies.     [Durham,  1852.] 
8vo.  pp.  8. 
[Only  fifty  copies  printed  :  there  is  no  title-page.] 

A  few  fragments  of  fairyology,  shewing 

its  connection  with  natural  history.    Durham,  1859.     8vo.  pp.  7. 
[Only  fifty  copies  printed  :  signed  M.  A.  D.] 

To    Oberon    and   Titania,    king    and 


queen  of  fairies,  and  the  whole  fairy  court,  dwelling  in  the  greater 
Mona,  I  dedicate  this  little  tract  on  the  popular  rhymes,  proverbs, 
sayings,  &c.  of  their  native  ysle.     [Durham,  1850.]     8vo.  pp.  17. 
[There  is  no  title-page  :  signed  M.  A.  D.] 

Folk-lore,     or     manners,     customs, 

weather  proverbs,   i)opu]ar    charms,  juvenile  rhymes,  &c.  of   the 
North  of  England.    By  M.  A.  D.     Durham,  1852.     8vo.  pp.  21. 
[Only  fifty  copies  printed.] 


>- English     surnames     obtained     from 

matters  of  war  and  chivalry.   By  M.  A.  D.   Durham,  1854.    1  slip. 

— —      Folk-lore,     or     manners,     customs, 

weather  proverbs,  popular  charms,  juvenile  rhymes,  &c.  in  the 
North  of  England.  [Richmond,  in  com.  Ebor.  1858.]  8vo.  pp.  31. 
[Only  fifty  copies  printed  :  there  is  no  title-page.] 

As  an  offering  in  honour  of  the  manes 


of  the  families  of  Hylton  and  Conyers,  I   dedicate  this  tract   on 
the  feudal  and  border  rhymes,  proverbs,  sayings,  &c.  &c.  of  the 
bishoprick  of  Durham.     [Durham,  1850].     8vo.  pp.  12. 
[Only  fifty  copies  printed  :  there  is  no  title-page.] 

This  littel  tractate  on  ye  rimes,  pro- 


uerbes,  sayings,  &c.  &c.  of  ye  oulde  aunciente  citty  of  Duresme  is 
ryghyte  hvmble  wise  dedicated  to  ye  clargy,  lawyers,  and  olde  maids 
of  ye  afore-named  cittie  to  whom  respectively  and  respectfully  he 
wishes  golden  prebends,  fatt  briefs,  and  good  hvsbandes  by  their 
most  hvmble  bedesman  and  oratour  the  collector.  [Durham,  1851.] 
8vo.  pp.  28. 
[Only  fifty  copies  printed  :  there  is  no  title-page.] 

In  honour  of  Joseph  Ritson,  Esquire, 


the  earliest  collector  and  chronicler  of  our  Palatine  anthology,  I 
dedicate  this  tract :  Rare  and  popular  rhymes,  proverbs,  sayings, 
characteristics,  reproaches,  &c.  &c.  relating  to  the  inhabitants  of 
certain  towns  and  villages,  and  also  to  particular  families  and 
individuals  in  the  bishoprick  of  Durham.  [Durham,  1851.]  8vo. 
pp.  78. 
[Only  fifty  copies  printed  :  there  is  no  title-page.] 


204  BIBLIOGRAPHY  OF  FOLK-LORE 

Denniston  (Captain  James).  Legends  of  Galloway  ;  being  a  series  of 
traditions  illustrative  of  its  ancient  history,  customs,  manners  and 
superstitions.  Edinburgh,  1825.  8vo.  pp.  xiv.  294. 
Contexts:  The  preface— The  standard  of  Denmark;  a  tale  of  Cmggleton 
Castle — The  miller  of  Eldrig — The  battle  of  Caimholy. 
[The  preface,  p.  xii.  says:  "  It  would  be  unworthy  his  [the  author's]  character 
to  permit  the  following  pages  to  go  abroad  into  the  world  under  the  impression 
that  they  are  literal  transcriptions  of  the  legends  he  has  given.  That  their 
basis  rests  on  popular  tradition  he  avows  to  be  true,  but  he  begs  leave  at  the 
same  time  to  state  that  their  getting  up,  or  rather  amplification,  has  been 
entirely  his  own."] 

Tlie  battle  of  Craignilder,  a  very  ancient 

Gallovidian  ballad  ;  arranged  for  publication  with  an  introduction 
and  notes.     Edinburgh  and  Glasgow,  1832.     8vo.  pp.  1.  104. 
Contents:  Preface.    Introduction.    Battle  of  Craignilder. 
First  line :  0  heard  ye  o'  that  gallant  fray 

*  *  * 

Last  line :  To  deck  the  deadly  flail,  man. 
Notes, 

Denton  (Rev.  W.),  see  Mijatovies  (Madam  C.) 

Devonshire  Association,  for  the  advancement  of  science,  literature 
and  art,  report  and  transactions  of,  Plymouth,  v.  y.  8vo. 
First  report  of  committee  on  Devon.shire  folk-lore,  vol.  viii.  (1876),  pp.  49-58.. 

Disraeli  (Isaac).  Curiosities  of  literature  :  a  new  edition,  edited  with 
memoirs  and  notes  by  his  son  the  Right  Hon.  B.  Disraeli.  London, 
1867.     3  vols.  8vo. 

These  volumes  contain  the  following  articles  on  subjects  relating  to  folk-lore: 
vol.  i.  legends,  pp.  89-94  ;  on  the  custom  of  saluting  after  sneezing,  pp.  126- 
128 ;  trials  and  proofs  of  guilt  in  superstitious  ages,  pp.  1 61-166 ;  singularities 
observed  by  various  nations  in  their  repasts,  pp.  170-173 ;  English  astrologers, 
278-283;  alchymy,  283-287  ;  mysteries,  moralities,  farces  and  sotties,  352-362. 
Vol.  ii.  modes  of  salutation  and  amicable  ceremonies  observed  in  various 
nations,  pp.  12-15;  drinking  cu.'stoms  in  England,  292-300. 
Vol.  iii.  the  philosophy  of  proverbs,  32-65. 

Dodds  (George).  The  translation  of  an  ancient  formula  of  magical 
exorcism  written  in  cypher.     Reliquary,  vol.  x.  pp.  129-138. 

Dorman  (Rushton  M.)  The  origin  of  primitive  superstitions  and  their 
development  into  the  worship  of  spirits,  and  the  doctrine  of  spiritual 
agency  among  the  aborigines  of  America.  Philadelphia  and 
London,  1881.     8vo.  pp.  398. 

CONTENTS:  Cap.  1.  Introductory,  ii.  and  iii.  Doctrine  of  spirits,  iv. 
Fetichistic  superstitions,  v.  Rites  and  ceremonies  connected  with  the  dead, 
vi.  Animal  worship,  vii.  Worship  of  trees  and  plants,  viii.  Worship  of 
remarkable  natural  objects,  ix.  Sabaism.  x.  Animistic  theory  of  meteor- 
ology,   xi.  Priestcraft,    xii.  Conclusion.    Index. 

Douce  (F.)  The  ceremony  of  the  feast  of  fools.  Archaeologia,  vol.  xv. 
pp.  225-233. 


PUBLICATIONS  IN  ENGLISH.  205 

Douce  (F.)  Ancient  marriage  customs.  Archaeologia,  vol.  xvii. 
pp.  124-127. 

Drake  (Samuel  Adams).  A  book  of  New  England  legends  and  folk- 
lore in  prose  and  poetry.     Boston,  1884.     4to.  pp.  xviii.  461. 

Contents  :  Boston  legends— Cambridge  legends— Lynn  and  Nahaut  legends 
— Salem  legends — Marblehead  legends  —  Cape  Ann  legends  —  Ipswich  and 
Newbury  legends — Hampton  and  Portsmouth  legends — York,  Isle  of  Shoals, 
and  Boor  Island  legends — Old  Colony  legends — Rhode  Island  legends — Con- 
necticut legends — Nantucket  and  other  legends. 

Draxe  (Thomas).  Bibliotheca  scholastica  instructissima,  or  a  treasury 
of  ancient  adagies  and  sententious  proverbs,  selected  out  of  the 
English,  Greeke,  Latine,  French,  Italian,  and  Spanish,  ranked  in 
alphabetical!  order,  and  suited  to  one  and  the  same  sense.  Londini, 
1654.     Sm.  8vo.  pp.  247. 

Drummond  (Robert).     Illustrations  of  the  grammatical  parts  of  the 
Guzerattee,    Mahratta    and    English   languages.     Bombay,    3  808. 
Folio,  pp.  134  [not  paged  in  type.] 
[A  selection  of  Guzerattee  proverbs  extend  from  page  20  to  page  36.] 

Du  Chaillu  (Paul  B.)  Explorations  and  adventures  in  Equatorial 
Africa;  with  accounts  of  the  manners  and  customs  of  the  people 

London,  1861.     8vo.  pp.  x.  479. 

[The  customs  are  mentioned  during  the  narrative  of  travel.] 

The  land  of  the  midnight  sun  :  summer  and 

winter  journeys  through  SAveden,  Norway,  Lapland  and  Northern 
Finland,  with   descriptions  of  the  inner  life  of  the  people,  their 
manners  and  customs,  the  primitive  antiquities,  &c.     London,  1881 . 
2  vols.     8vo.  pp.  xvi.  441;  xvi.  474. 
[The  customs  are  mentioned  during  the  narrative  of  travel.] 

Dyer  (T.  P.  Thiselton).  British  popular  customs,  present  and  past; 
illustrating  the  social  and  domestic  manners  of  the  people ;  arranged 
according  to  the  calendar  of  the  year.  London,  1876.  8vo.  pp.  ii. 
520. 

English  folk-lore.  London,  1878.  8vo.  pp.  viii. 

290. 

Contents  :  Cap.  1,  Plants,  ii.  The  moon.  iii.  Birds,  iv.  Animals,  v. 
Insects — reptiles,  vi.  Charms,  vii.  Birth — baptism,  viii.  Marriage,  ix. 
Death,  x.  Days  of  the  week.  xi.  The  months  and  other  weather-lore.  xii. 
Bells,    xiii.  Miscellaneous  folk-lore. 

Domestic  folk-lore.  London,  1881.  [Cassells 


shilling  monthly  library].    12mo.  pp.  viii.  180, 

Contents  :  Birth  and  infancy — Childhood — Love  and  courtship — Marriage — 
Death  and  burial— The  human  body — Articles  of  dress — Table  superstitions 
— Furniture  omens— Household  superstitions — Popular  divinations— Common 
ailments— Miscellaneous  household- lore. 


206  THE  PIED  PIPER  OF  HAMELIN. 

Dyer  (T.  F.  Thiselton).  Folk-lore  of  Shakespeare.  London  [1883]. 
8vo.  pp.  ix.  526. 

Contents  :  Cap.  i.  Fairies,  ii.  Witches,  iii.  Ghosts,  iv.  Demonology  and 
devil-lore.  v.  Natural  phenomena,  vi.  Birds,  vii.  Animals,  viii.  Plants,  ix. 
Insects  and  reptiles,  x.  Folk-medicine,  xi.  Customs  connected  with  the 
calendar,  xii.  Birth  and  baptism,  xiii.  Marriage,  xiv.  Death  and  burial. 
XV.  Rings  and  precious  stones,  xvi.  Sports  and  pastimes,  xvii.  Dances, 
xviii.  Punishments,  xix.  Proverbs,  xx.  Human  botly.  xxi.  Fishes, 
xxii.  Sundry  superstitions,    xxiii.  Miscellaneous  customs,  &c. — Index. 

Dykes  (Oswald).  Moral  reflexions  upon  select  English  proverbs, 
familiarly  accommodated  to  the  honour  and  manners  of  the  present 
age.     London,  1708.     870.  dedication,  pp.  xl.  280,  and  index. 

[The  preface  is  "An  Essay  upon  the  nature  and  use  of  proverbs."  There 
are  52  proverbs,  each  forming  the  heading  of  a  chapter  of  moral  reflections.] 


English  proverbs,  with  moral  reflexions,  in  imita- 
tion of  Sir  Roger  L'Estrange's  ^sop,  familiarly  accommodated  to 
the  humour  and  manners  of  the  age.  The  second  edition  to  which 
is  added  the  union  proverb,  occasioned  by  the  late  French  expedi- 
tion to  Scotland,  and  several  other  proverbs  never  before  printed. 
London,  1709.  8vo.  pp.  xl.  312,  and  index,  and  separate  pagina- 
tion of  14  pages  and  preface. 

[The  preface  is  as  before.  There  are  57  proverbs.  Tbe  Union  Proverb  is  a 
separate  pamphlet,  and  is  a  dissertation  on  **  When  Skiddaw  has  a  cap,  • 
Scruifell  wots  full  well  of  that,"  applicable  to  the  Union  of  Scotland  and 
England,  and  is  said  to  be  by  Defoe.] 

.     The  same.  The  third  edition.  London,  1713.  8vo. 


[The  same  as  the  second  edition,  with  a  new  title-page.] 


THE  PIED  PIPER  OF  HAMELIN. 

By  Emma  S.  Buchheim. 

|T  has  of  late  become  the  fashion  to  celebrate  the  anniver- 
saiy  of  any  important  historical  or  legendary  event,  and 
the  people  of  Hamelin,  not  to  be  outdone,  intend  this 
year  to  celebrate  the  memory  of  one  of  the  darkest  days 
in  their  annals.  On  the  2Gth  of  June  it  will  be  six  hundred  years 
since,  according  to  a  legend  made  popular  in  England  by  Browning's 
well-known  poem,  "  The  Pied  Piper  of  Hamelin,"  the  injured  rat- 
catcher led  away  the  children  of  the  town,  thereby  causing  much  grief 


THE  PIED  PIPER  OP  HAMELIN.  207 

to  their  parents  and  much  perplexity  to  historians.  As  public  atten- 
tion is  thus  called  to  the  legend  it  may  not  be  uninteresting  to  English 
readers  to  learn  the  results  of  recent  investigations  undertaken  in 
Germany  by  several  scholars,  more  especially  by  Dr.  Otto  Meinardns, 
in  a  treatise  entitled  Der  histonsche  Kern  der  Hameler  Rattenfangersage, 
and  by  Herr  M.  Busch  in  the  Grenzboten,  with  a  view  to  ascertaining 
whether  or  no  the  legend  rests  on  an  historical  basis. 

The  Piper  and  the  rats  have  always  been  considered  an  essential 
part  of  the  story.  It  seems  impossible  that  the  man  on  whom  we 
have  always  looked  as  the  cause  of  the  catastrophe  should  in  reality 
be  only  a  secondary  personage;  but  on  turning  to  what  is  considered 
the  earliest  record  of  the  tragedy  of  Hamelin  we  find  it  is  merely  to 
the  effect  "that  on  the  26th  of  June,  1284,  one  hundred  and  thirty 
children  vanished  into  Mount  Calvary,"  afterwards  called  the  "  Koppel- 
berg."  There  is  no  doubt  whatever  that  the  above  record  was  made  a 
long  time  after  the  occurrence  of  the  event,  for  the  mystical  element 
has  already  made  its  appearance  in  the  statement  that  the  children 
disappeared  into  the  mountain.  The  entries  concerning  the  Piper  do 
not  occur  till  some  years  after  the  first  record  was  made,  and  the  rats 
are  not  mentioned  at  all  in  the  archives  of  the  town.  We  are  then 
not  unjustified  in  taking  for  granted  that,  if  any  part  of  the  story  is 
true,  it  is  the  disappearance  of  the  children,  and  that  the  Piper,  the 
scourge  of  the  rats,  and  the  broken  treaty,  were  added  to  account  for 
a  fact  whose  real  cause  was  long  since  forgotten. 

We  will  first  see  whether  any  satisfactory  explanation  presents  itself 
of  that  part  of  the  story  which  we  have  already  relegated  to  the  rank 
of  fable,  and  here  we  find  that  the  Piper  who  by  means  of  his  music 
destroys  obnoxious  animals  is  not  the  sole  property  of  the  people  of 
Hamelin.  Like  Wilhelm  Tell  he  is  common  property  in  the  realm  of 
fiction.  It  is  not  only  that  the  Piper  recalls  the  malicious  gnomes  and 
elves  who  delight  to  steal  children,  or  that  his  gay  costume  reminds  us 
of  the  love  these  creatures  have  for  bright-coloured  cloth,  he  has  his 
actual  counterpart  in  the  legends  of  other  countries.  In  France  there 
is  a  story  of  a  monk  who  freed  a  town  from  a  plague  of  rats.  The 
people  withheld  the  promised  reward,  and  with  the  help  of  his  horn 
the  monk  led   away  their  cattle  and   their  domestic  animals.      In 


208  THE  PIED  PIPER  OF  HAMELIN. 

Ireland  we  actually  meet  with  a  legend  of  a  bagpipe-  player  who  decoyed 
a  number  of  young  people  in  the  same  manner  that  the  ratcatcher  of 
Hamelin  led  away  the  children.  In  many  Teutonic  myths  we  find  that 
the  soul  leaves  the  body  in  the  shape  of  a  mouse,  and  it  has  occurred  to 
one  writer  that  the  Piper  is  the  god  of  death  of  tbe  Aryan  races,  who 
is  followed  by  the  souls  of  the  dead,  represented  in  the  legend  as  rats. 
Without  going  so  far  as  to  look  upon  the  Avhole  legend  as  a  new  form 
of  the  dance  of  death,  we  may  consider  that  the  musician  whose  magi- 
cal attributes  give  him  power  over  man  and  beast  belongs  to  the  same 
category  as  elves,  gnomes,  and  other  mythical  creatures,  who  love  to 
mislead  human  beings.  We  shall  presently  see  how  he  came  to  be 
connected  with  our  legend. 

As  regards  the  historical  basis  of  the  tale  some  historians  en- 
deavoured to  bring  it  in  connection  with  a  battle  fought  in  1259  or 
1260  between  the  Bishop  of  Minden  and  the  people  of  Hamelin  at  Sede- 
munde.  The  latter  were  defeated,  and  a  number  of  them  having  been 
taken  prisoners  they  were  led  away,  "  disappearing  behind  the  moun- 
tains," and  returning  after  some  time  by  the  roundabout  way  of  Tran- 
sylvania. There  are  two  objections  to  this  explanation  which  has  found 
very  general  acceptance.  The  dates  of  the  two  occurrences  do  not 
coincide,  and  the  battle  has  been  fully  described  in  the  chronicles.  It  is 
scarcely  probable  that  an  event  so  well  remembered  as  the  battle  of  Sede- 
mimde  should  have  given  rise  to  a  distinct  legend.  It  seems  therefore 
that  we  must  seek  for  another  interpretation  of  the  legend,  and  this  is  to 
be  found  by  connecting  it  with  the  strange  psychological  epidemic 
which  prevailed  to  such  an  alarming  extent  in  the  Middle  Ages, 
namely,  the  dancing  mania.  Men,  women,  and  children,  seized  by 
this  disease,  danced  till  they  fell  down  utterly  exhausted.  Then  they 
slept,  and  awoke  refreshed.  The  disease  was  epidemic;  sometimes 
the  crowd  numbered  from  500  to  1000  dancers  who  did  not  always 
remain  in  one  place,  but  wandered  dancing  from  town  to  town.  They 
were  much  excited  by  music,  and  the  authorities  sometimes  hired 
musicians  in  order  that  they  might  hasten  the  exhaustion  which  pre- 
ceded the  healing  sleep.  Though  the  disease  did  not  attain  its  full 
height  till  some  centuries  after  the  date  ascribed  to  the  Hamelin 
incident,  we  know  that  it  had  already  broken  out.    In  1237  the  young 


THE  PIED  PIPER  OF  HAMELIN.  209 

people  of  Erfurt  were  attacked,  left  their  homes,  and  were  found 
again  at  Arnstadt,  where  they  had  fallen  down  in  the  streets  worn  out 
by  their  exertions.  May  not  a  similar  occurence  have  led  to  the  loss 
of  the  children  of  Hamelin  ?  It  seems  that  these  dancers  were  called 
"  Dancers  of  St.  John  "  (Johannes  tanzer).  From  the  24th  to  the 
26th  of  June  the  Midsummer  festivals  were  held,  at  which  many  of 
the  ancient  heathen  customs  were  carried  out.  Wild  dances  formed 
an  essential  part  of  the  festival,  for  whoever  danced  through  a  burning 
fire  was  free  from  illness  for  that  year.  Such  occasions  as  these  might 
easily  give  rise  to  the  dreaded  epidemic,  and  hence  probably  the  name 
"  Dancers  of  St.  John."  We  must  remember  that  it  was  on  the  26th 
of  June,  the  last  day  of  the  Midsummer  festival,  that  the  children  of 
Hamelin  vanished.  Is  it  not  probable  that  the  youth  of  the  town 
were  celebrating  the  festival,  and  that  musicians  were  among  them  ? 
Whether  the  mania  originally  began  at  Hamelin,  or  whether  dancers 
from  other  districts  infected  the  people  of  that  town,  is  difficult  to 
decide.  We  will  assume  that  they  were  infected,  and  that,  headed  by 
a  musician  wearing  the  gay  dress  of  his  class,  the  young  inhabitants 
of  Hamelin  began  their  journey,  and  disappeared  from  sight  behind 
the  Koppelberg.  The  story  of  the  Erfurt  children  leads  us  to  think 
that  the  Hamelin  children  in  their  wanderings  may  have  gone  to  a 
distant  place  fixed  by  popular  fancy  in  Transylvania,  and  have  been 
brought  back  from  there.  When  the  old  chronicler  subsequently 
wrote  down  the  brief  record  of  what  had  taken  place  the  children  were 
said  to  have  disappeared  not  behind  but  into  the  mountain.  Beside 
such  a  wonder  other  circumstances  seemed  trivial  indeed  in  the  eyes  of 
the  people ;  it  was  impossible  that  such  a  simple  thing  as  dancing 
should  lead  to  such  a  catastrophe.  How  was  it  brought  about?  The 
Piper  who  led  the  crowd  became  the  cause  of  the  tragedy,  the  vague 
memory  of  myths  and  traditions  came  to  the  aid  of  the  people ;  the 
Piper  became  a  man  with  magic  powers  who  revenged  himself  on  the 
people  of  Hamelin  when  they  refused  to  give  him  his  promised  reward, 
and  the  legend  assumed  the  shape  in  which  it  has  come  down  to  us. 
June  20th,  1884. 


Vol.  2.— Part  7. 


210 


IRISH  FOLK-LORE. 

[Reprinted  from  A  Statistical  Acc&unt  or  Parochial  Survey  of  Ireland,  drawn 
from  the  communications  of  the  Clergy,  hy  William  Shaw  Mason.    Dublin, 

London,  and    Edinburgh,  1814-1819.    Svo.    3  vols. Continued  from 

page  142.] 

Parish  of  Dungiven. 

HE  traditionary  story  of  O'Cahan's  possessions  (a  family 
who  rose  into  consequence  when  the  O'Connors  became 
obscure)  is  this :  The  chief  O'Neal  granted  to  O'Cahan, 
as  a  reward  for  some  important  service  {Go  rasir  capell 
ciar)y  "  as  far  as  your  brown  horse  can  run  in  one  day."  This  he 
accepted,  and  took  a  direct  line  eastward  from  Bum  ToUaght,  in  the 
parish  of  Comber,  to  the  river  Bann,  including  the  whole  of  that 
fertile  district  which  lies  between  the  mountain  and  the  sea.  The 
fishery  of  the  Bann  was  also  a  part  of  this  possession ;  and  to  accom- 
modate him  in  drawing  his  nets  a  certain  tribute  of  salt  for  the  use 
of  the  castle  of  Grianan  Oiligh  was  taken  in  exchange  for  as  much 
land  as  an  oxhide  would  enclose ;  this,  aided  by  the  old  Cartha- 
ginian device  of  cutting  the  hide  into  small  thongs  (an  hereditary 
artifice,  no  doubt),  extended  his  territory  considerably  beyond  the  river. 
In  Camden's  description  of  the  county  of  Coleraine  (Gibson's  Camden^ 
folio   1018)  we  have  the  following  :  "  The  Cahans  were  of  greatest 

authority  in  these  parts,  tlie  chief  O'Cahan being  the  person 

who  (in  the  barbarous  election  of  O'Neal,  performed  with  barbarous 
ceremony  on  a  high  hill  in  the  open  air)  has  the  honourable  office  of 
throwing  a  shoe  over  the  head  of  the  O'Neal  then  chosen."  Throwing 
a  shoe  after  a  person  setting  out  on  a  journey  or  other  enterprise  is 
still  considered  by  the  common  people  as  lucky  and  conducive  to 
success.— (Vol.  i.  pp.  321-322.) 

At  the  baptising  of  Ossian  the  office  was  perfomied  by  St.  Patrick, 
who,  being  of  a  great  age  at  the  time,  walked  with  a  pole  which  had 
in  the  end  a  long  sharp  point  of  iron  to  secure  his  steps.     Whilst  in 


IRISH  FOLK-LORE.  21 1 

the  act  of  officiating,  the  saint  inadvertently  leaned  his  staff,  without 
perceiving  it,  on  Ossian's  foot,  so  that  the  spike  ran  quite  through  it 
to  the  ground.  When  the  service  was  finished,  on  turning  away  the 
holy  man  discovered  the  unlucky  accident,  and,  being  struck  with  the 
greatest  concern  and  surprise,  he  hastily  inquired  of  Ossian  why  he 
had  not  noticed  it  or  shown  any  sign  of  uneasiness,  "  I  thought, 
father,"  replied  the  chief  with  unvarying  composure,  "  that  this  too 
had  been  part  of  the  ceremony  !  " — (Vol.  i.  p.  327.) 

Early  almost  every  Sunday  morning,  from  St.  Patrick's  day  until 
about  Michaelmas,  a  number  of  devotees  surround  the  well  called 
Tubber  Patrick,  and,  after  bowing  towards  it  with  great  reverence, 
walk  round  it  a  certain  number  of  times,  repeating  during  their  pro- 
gress a  stated  measure  of  prayer.  They  then  wash  their  hands  and 
feet  with  the  water  and  tear  off  a  small  rag  from  their  clothes,  which 
they  tie  on  a  bush  overhanging  the  well.  From  thence  they  all  pro- 
ceed to  a  largo  stone  in  the  river  Koe,  immediately  below  the  old 
church ;  and,  having  performed  an  ablution,  they  walk  round  the  stone, 
bowing  to  it  and  repeating  prayers  as  at  the  well.  Their  next  move- 
ment is  to  the  old  church,  within  which  a  similar  ceremony  goes  on, 
and  they  finish  this  rite  by  a  procession  and  prayer  round  the  upiight 
stone  already  described. — (Vol.  i.  p.  328.) 

Parish  of  Kilmanalieen. 

The  last  Sunday  in  July  is  a  patron  day,  when  a  number  of  people 
assemble  at  Lahinchy.  They  amuse  themselves  with  horse-racing  on 
the  strand,  dancing,  &c.  near  it.  This  Sunday  is  called  Garlic 
Sunday,  but  for  what  reason  is  not  known.  On  Saturday  evening 
preceding  this  Sunday  numbers  of  people,  male  and  female,  assemble 
at  St.  Bridget's  well,  and  remain  there  the  entire  night.  They  first 
perform  their  rounds,  and  then  spend  a  good  part  of  the  time  in 
invoking  this  Saint  Bridget  over  the  well,  repeating  their  prayers  and 
adorations  aloud  and  holding  their  conversations  with  the  saint,  &c. 
When  this  ceremony  is  over  they  amuse  themselves  until  morning 
by  dancing  and  singing.  They  then  (on  Sunday  morning)  repair  to 
Lahinchy,  distant  from  this  well  at  least  three  miles,  to  conclude  their 
merriment.  This  well  is  also  resorted  to  on  the  1st  of  February. — 
(Vol.  i.  p.  494.) 

p2 


212  IRISH  FOLK-LORE. 

Parish  of  Maghera. 

As  to  customs,  we  have  no  controversy  here,  about  regaling  our- 
selves witli  the  juice  of  the  barley  on  St.  Patrick's  day  ;  eating 
pancakes  on  Shrove  Tuesday ;  a  goose  at  Michaelmas,  and  nuts  and 
apples  on  Hallow  e'en ;  on  the  Sunday  before  Easter,  palm  twigs ; 
on  the  17th  of  March,  a  green  shamrock  5  and  on  the  12th  of  July, 
orange-lilies  arc  worn.  On  Shrove  Tuesday,  and  a  few  days  before  it, 
the  Roman  Catholics  usually  marry,  being  prohibited  to  do  so  in  Lent 
or  Advent. 

On  the  1st  of  May  from  time  immemorial,  until  the  year  1798,  a 
large  pole  was  planted  in  the  market-place  at  Maghera  ;  and  a  pro- 
cession of  May-boys,  headed  by  a  mock  king  and  queen,  paraded  the 
neighbourhood,  dressed  in  shirts  over  their  clothes,  and  ornamented 
with  ribbons  of  various  colours.  This  practice  was  revived  last  year, 
and  the  May-boys  collected  about  seventeen  pounds  at  the  different 
places  where  they  called :  this  defrayed  the  expense  of  a  public  dinner 
next  day. 

On  the  23rd  of  June  bonfires  are  kindled  in  all  du'ections  througli 
the  country.  On  the  24th  June,  being  St.  John's  day,  the  Freemasons 
assemble,  walk  in  their  insignia,  and  dine  together.  On  the  12th 
July,  the  anniversary  of  the  battle  of  Aughrim,  the  Orangemen 
assemble,  walk  in  their  insignia,  and  dine  together.  On  the  29th 
September,  being  Michaelmas  day,  the  few  hounds  in  the  neighbour- 
hood are  collected,  and  there  is  a  hunt ;  and  on  the  31st  of  October, 
being  Holy  Eve,  or,  as  the  Scotch  call  if-,  "  Hallow  e'en,"  various 
tricks  are  played  by  the  young  people,  who  are  anxious  to  know  what 
husbands  or  wives  they  are  to  get. 

Entertainments  are  given  by  all  descriptions  of  people  here  at 
christenings,  weddings,  wakes,  and  funerals ;  cheese  and  ale  are  the 
usual  beverage  at  the  Scotch  christenings,  cakes  and  whiskey  at  the 
Irish.  The  weddings  are  observed  with  considerable  gaiety,  and  a 
dangerous  compliment  is  paid  to  the  bridal-party,  at  what  is  called 
the  infair  or  bringing  home.  They  are  saluted  with  shots  from 
muskets  and  pistols  in  every  village,  or  cluster  of  houses,  through 
which  they  pass.  This  joke  often  turns  out  a  serious  one,  for  it  has 
been  repeatedly  the  cause  of  unhorsing  some  of  the  joyful  train,  who 


r 


IRISH  FOLK-LORE.  213 


always  ride  at  full  gallop  on  these  occasions,  contending  for  the  honour 
of  arriving  first  at  the  bridegroom's  house. 

At  the  Irish  wake  here,  the  body  of  the  deceased  is  laid  on  the 
earth,  and  covered  with  a  sheet ;  two  candles  are  placed  near  it,  and 
the  company  is  entertained  with  pipes,  tobacco,  and  snuff. — (Vol.  i. 
pp.  593-596.) 

Parish  of  Annahilt. 

One  peculiar  custom  generally  prevails :  the  giving  a  merry  convoy 
home  to  the  bride  and  groom  after  marriage,  and  the  struggle  is  often 
great  between  the  friends  of  the  former  and  of  the  latter  who  shall 
first  arrive  at  the  destined  goal. — (Vol.  ii.  p.  16.) 

Parish  of  Balh/mascanlon. 

There  are  two  patrons,  one  on  the  first  of  February,  in  honour  of 
St.  Bridget,  on  Foughart  Hill,  and  the  other  on  the  fifteenth  of 
August,  in  honour  of  the  Virgin  Mary,  at  Piedmont.  Near  each 
patron  place  is  what  is  called  a  holy  well,  named  after  the  saint,  at 
which  the  people  do  penance. — (Vol.  ii.  p.  72.) 

Parish  of  Bally moyer. 

Some  remains  of  Pagan  superstition  still  exist,  as  also  the  belief  in 
fairies,  and  in  lucky  and  unlucky  days.  A  girl  chasing  a  butterfly 
was  chid  by  her  companions,  saying,  "  That  may  be  the  soul  of  your 
grandfather."  Upon  inquiry  it  was  found  that  a  butterfly  hovering 
near  a  corpse  was  regarded  as  a  sign  of  its  everlasting  happiness. — 
(Vol.  ii.  p.  83.) 

Parish  of  Cahircorney. 

In  this  parish  assemblages  are  held  on  the  tops  of  the  highest  hills 
on  every  St.  John's  Eve,  when  they  light  up  clears,  which  are  bundles 
of  straw  tied  to  long  poles,  and  as  all  the  most  elevated  places  for 
forty  miles  around  appear  one  blaze  of  fire  the  effect  is  very  brilliant. 
It  is  a  Pagan  custom,  and  is  conjectured  to  be  a  mode  of  worehip  paid 
to  the  heathen  deity  Baal,  as  the  Irish  at  this  day  call  the  first  of  May 
«  La  Baal  tine,"  that  is,  «  The  day  of  Baal's  fire."— (Vol.  ii.  p.  98.) 


{To  he  continued.) 


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NOTES  AND  QUERIES. 

Superstitions  from  Corea. — In  spite  of  the  early  civilisation  of 
the  country,  the  only  subject  of  historical  interest  which  we  saw  in 
our  travels  was  a  curious  structure  resembling  a  rude  altar,  consisting 
of  one  massive  slab,  placed  horizontally  on  small  blocks  of  granite, 
which  supported  it  on  three  sides,  leaving  the  other  side  open  and  a 
hollow  space  some  sixteen  feet  by  ten  feet  beneath.  Of  these  quasi- 
altars  several  were  standing  in  the  valleys ;  but,  though  it  must  ha7e 
cost  immense  labour  to  place  these  stones  in  position,  no  legend  was 
current  to  account  for  their  existence,  except  one  which  connected  them 
with  the  Japanese  invasion  at  the  end  of  the  sixteenth  century,  when 
the  invaders  were  said  to  have  erected  them  to  suppress  the  influences 
of  the  earth  (ti  chi).  Whatever  their  origin,  they  have  been  left 
undisturbed. 

Of  the  influence  of  superstition  over  the  people  constant  evidence  is 
seen,  in  offerings  to  the  spirits  of  the  mountains  in  the  shape  of  rags 
tied  to  branches  of  shrubs,  heaps  of  stones  at  the  top  of  mountain 
ridges,  long  ropes  hanging  from  trees,  shrines  two  or  three  feet  high 
placed  by  the  roadside,  and,  most  quaint  of  all,  in  thick  planks  set 
in  the  ground,  with  one  face  rudely  hewn  and  painted  to  repre- 
sent a  human  head,  with  teeth  fiercely  prominent.  These  figures 
are  said  to  be  intended  to  keep  foxes  out  of  the  villages,  and  thus 
protect  the  people  from  their  spells  and  witchery.  Beyond  these 
few  objects  and  a  Buddhist  temple,  near  a  fine  figure  of  Buddha  cut 
in  the  rock  not  far  from  the  north  gate  of  Soul,  there  was  no  trace  of 
any  religious  feeling  having  any  hold  upon  the  people.  Had  we 
gone  a  few  miles  farther  north  we  were  assured  we  should  have  found 
at  Chin  Kang  Shan  not  only  the  most  beautiful  scenery  in  Corea,  but 
mountains  thickly  studded  with  temples,  to  which  pilgrims  throng  in 
summer ;  but  we  neither  saw  any  such  nor  any  trace  of  religious 
observances  among  the  people  even  at  the  new  or  full  moon.  We 
were  told,  however,  of  sacrifices  being  offered  to  the  mountain  spirits 


NOTES  AND  QUERIES.  219 

before  a  mine  was  opened.  Graves  as  a  rule  are  placed  close  together 
on  the  slope  of  a  hill,  without  any  stone  or  mark  to  identify  them  ; 
but  occasionally  a  horse- shoe  clearing  is  seen  in  the  woods,  where 
some  distinguished  person  lies  buried,  whose  name  and  birthplace  are 
given  on  a  rough  slab  of  stone.  The  funerals  that  we  met  were  of 
the  simplest  character,  and  at  one  village  the  remains  of  the  body  of 
an  old  woman,  who  had, been  eaten  by  a  tiger,  were  being  burnt  on  a 
fire  of  brushwood,  lighted  on  the  spot. — Report  hy  Mr.  Carles  on  a 
Journey  in  two  of  the  Central  Provinces  of  Corea  in  October  1883. 

Roumanian  Customs,  Charms,  Remedies. — At  a  marriage  or  any 
other  festival  a  Roumanian  peasant  will  always  pour  out  some  wine, 
and  spill  it  on  the  ground,  before  giving  to  his  guests,  or  himself 
drinking.  Is  this  an  offering  to  the  gods  ?  When  asked  why  they  do 
this,  the  answer  is,  "  So  it  must  be." 

If  you  say  that  a  baby  is  pretty,  you  must  spit  on  the  ground  im- 
mediately, or  you  will  give  it  the  evil  eye. 

To  stop  bleeding  from  the  nose :  Hold  to  the  nose  a  living  spider 
twisted  up  in  a  linen  cloth. 

For  swelling  of  the  stomach :  Gather  black  snails  in  a  forest,  and 
place  them  on  the  stomach ;  this  remedy  must  be  renewed  several 
times. 

To  bring  back  a  husband's  love  for  his  wife :  Take  the  heart  of  a 
partridge  and  a  piece  of  the  root  of  a  wallflower ;  make  into  a  small 
ball,  and  let  it  be  eaten  by  the  offender  ;  he  will  never  again  either 
scold  or  beat  his  wife. 

To  make  a  child's  second  teeth  come  straight  and  well :  Bury  its 
first  teeth,  as  they  fall,  at  the  foot  of  a  straight  oak-tree. 

E.  B.  Mawr, 

Witchcraft  in  Scotland. — In  illustration  of  the  gross  ignorance  and 
superstitious  beliefs  of  the  smuggling  fraternity,  it  may  be  stated  that, 
on  account  of  his  success  in  unearthing  smugglers,  the  official  who 
discovered  the  worm  which  had  been  so  ingeniously  secreted  had  made 
himself  so  obnoxious  to  that  class  that  a  few  years  ago  an  attempt  was 
actually  made  to  remove  him  by  means  of  the  occult  and  mysterious 
agency  of  witchcraft.  The  means  adopted  in  order  to  compass  the  death 
of  this  obnoxious  official  was  the  well-known  corp  creadh,  or  clay  image. 


220  NOTES  AND  QUERIES. 

the  efficacy  of  which,  when  properly  gone  about,  to  destroy  life,  is  still 
implicitly  believed  in  by  the  bulk  of  the  population  in  the  more  rustic 
parts  of  the  Highlands.  The  modus  operandi  consists  in  the  operator 
modelling  an  image  in  clay  of  the  person  whose  death  is  desired,  and, 
having  muttered  the  appropriate  incantation  over  it,  placing  it  in 
water  running  towards  the  east,  the  idea  being  that  the  body  of  the 
victim  wastes  away  in  exact  proportion  as  the  water  wears  away  the 
clay  of  the  image.  When  a  sudden  death  is  desired  the  image  is 
placed  in  a  rapidly-running  stream.  If,  on  the  other  hand,  a  long 
lingering  and  painful  illness  should  be  desired,  a  number  of  pins  and 
rusty  nails  are  struck  in  the  chest  and  other  vital  parts  of  the  image, 
which  is  then  deposited  in  comparatively  still  waters.  Should,  how- 
ever, the  corp  creadh  happen  to  be  discovered  in  the  water  before  the 
thread  of  life  is  severed,  it  at  once  loses  its  efficacy;  and  not  only  does 
the  victim  recover,  but,  so  long  as  the  image  is  kept  intact,  he  is  ever 
after  proof  against  the  professors  of  the  black  art.  That  the  attempt 
had  miscarried  in  the  case  of  the  officer  in  question  is  attributed  by 
(;he  believers  in  witchcraft  to  the  fact  that  a  pearl-fisher,  in  the  course 
of  his  legitimate  calling,  happened  to  discover  the  image  before  it  had 
been  many  days  in  the  water. — Glasgow  Herald ^  May  12,  1884. 

J.  G.  Fenwick. 

Notes  on  some  Customs  of  the  Aborigines  of  the  Albert  District, 
New  South  Wales.— By  C.  S.  Wilkinson,  F.G.S.,  F.L.S.— Mr.  W. 
H.  J.  Slee,  the  Government  Inspector  of  Mines,  has  given  me  the  fol- 
lowing particulars  regarding  a  singular  ceremony  which  the  aboriginal 
tribes  of  the  Mount  Poole  district  perform,  when,  as  is  often  the  case 
in  that  arid  region,  they  need  rain. 

In  many  parts  of  that  country  gypsum  occurs  abundantly  in  the 
soil,  but  the  fibrous  variety  known  as  Satin  Spar  is  comparatively 
rare.  The  latter  is  highly  prized  by  the  natives,  and  is  called  by  them 
"  rain-stone,"  for  they  believe  that  the  Great  Spirit  uses  it  in  making 
rain,  and  probably  also  because  they  regard  it  as  solidified  rain  on 
account  of  the  resemblance  of  its  fibrous  or  striated  structure  to  heavy 
rain ;  the  more  pronounced  are  the  striations  the  more  the  stone  is 
valued. 

About  two  years  ago,  Mr.  Slee,  when  warden  of  the  Mount  Poole 


NOTES  AND  QUERIES.  221 

goldfield,  was  specially  invited  by  the  principal  chiefs  of  the  Mount 
Poole  and  Mokely  tribes  to  attend  a  ceremony  of  "  making  rain."  On 
the  day  appointed  the  natives,  with  the  exception  of  the  females,  who 
are  not  allowed  to  see  either  the  rain-stone  or  the  ceremony,  assembled 
and  formed  in  a  circle,  in  the  centre  of  which  stood  the  oldest  chief 
and  Mr>  Slee,  no  other  person  being  permitted  to  enter  the  circle. 
After  a  great  deal  of  talking,  dancing,  singing,  and  mystical  per- 
formances had  been  gone  through  by  all  the  natives,  the  old  chief 
produced  the  "  rain-stone,"  which  had  been  carefully  kept  wrapped  up  in 
leaves  and  a  piece  of  rag,  and  showed  it  to  Mr.  Slee,  but  would  not 
let  him  touch  it.     He  then  buried  it  in  the  sand. 

On  one  of  the  creeks  near  the  diggings  are  some  marks  of  a  high 
flood,  which  the  natives  said  took  place  after  they  had  performed  the 
above-mentioned  ceremony  over  an  unusually  large  rain-stone. — From 
Proceedings  of  the  Linnean  Society  of  New  South  Wales,  vol.  viii.  pp. 
43G-437.     {Feb.  21,  1884.)  James  Britten. 

Jottings  from  Bliss's  Reliquise  HearniansB. — Great  Marlow,  in 
Bucks,  tho'  a  poor  market  and  but  a  poor  town,  is  yet  very  pleasantly 
situated  upon  the  Thames.  There  is  plenty  of  fish,  corn,  and  wood 
there,  whence  the  people  there  commonly  say:  Here  is  fish  for  catching, 
cornjor  snatching,  and  wood  Jor  fetching . — Vol.  ii.  p.  154. 

[Feb.  27,  1722-3.]  It  hath  been  an  old  custom  in  Oxford  for  the 
scholars  of  all  houses,  on  Shrove  Tuesday,  to  go  to  dinner  at  ten 
o'clock  (at  which  time  the  little  bell,  called  pancake  bell,  rings,  or  at 
least  should  ring,  at  St.  Maries),  and  at  four  in  the  afternoon ;  and  it 
was  always  followed  in  Edmund  Hall,  as  long  as  I  have  been  in 
Oxford,  till  yesterday,  when  they  went  to  dinner  at  twelve,  and  to 
supper  at  six,  nor  were  there  any  fritters  at  dinner,  as  there  used 
always  to  be.  When  laudable  old  customs  alter  'tis  a  sign  learning 
dwindles. — Vol.  ii.  p.  156. 

They  have  a  custom  at  Northmore,  near  Witney,  in  Oxfordshire,  for 
men  and  women,  every  Easter  Sunday,  after  evening  service,  to  throw 
in  the  churchyard  great  quantities  of  apples,  and  those  that  have  been 
married  that  year  are  to  throw  three  times  as  many  as  any  of  the  rest. 
After  which  all  go  to  the  minister's  house,  and  eat  bread  and  cheese 
(he  is  obliged  to  have  the  best  cheese  he  can  get)  and  drink  ale. 


222  NOTES  AND  QUERIES. 

(iVo<«.  This  custom  still  prevails,  and  my  good  friend,  the  present 
professor  of  Anglo-Saxon,  who  is  vicar  of  Northmore,  tells  me  that 
on  Easter  Sunday  last  (1822),  being  ignorant  of  the  usual  warfare, 
and  so  neglecting  to  make  good  his  retreat  after  evening  service,  he 
came  in  contact  with  a  stray  shot  or  two,  much  to  the  entertainment 
of  his  parishioners,  all  of  whom,  old  as  well  as  young,  religiously  take 
part  in  the  contest.) — "Vol.  ii.  p.  215. 

At  Sunningwell,  near  Abbington,  in  Berks,  they  have  a  custom 
(which  I  suppose  was  formerly  in  other  places,  tho'  I  do  not  know  of 
any  else  where  it  is  now)  every  Shrove  Tuesday,  at  night,  in  the  dusk 
of  the  evening,  for  the  boys  and  girls  to  say  these  verses  about  the 
village : 

Beef  and  bacon's 

Out  of  season, 
I  want  a  pan 

To  parch  my  peason  ; 

which  they  repeat  several  times,  and  then  throw  stones  at  all  people's 
doors,  which  makes  the  people  generally  to  shut  up  their  doors  that 
evening,  the  custom  beginning  much  about  the  dusk  thereof. — Vol.  ii. 
p.  218. 

What  we  commonly  say  as  merry  as  a  grig,  perhaps  should  be  as 
merry  as  a  Greek.  "  Levium  Grsecorum  mentio  apud  antiquos  scrip- 
tores,  et  quidem  ipse  Tullius  in  oratione  pro  L.  Flacco  levitatem 
Grsecorum  propriam  esse  monuit. — Vol.  iii.  p.  122. 

Alice  B.  Gommb. 

Gipsy  Burial  Custom. — In  accordance  with  a  gipsy  custom,  all  the 
property  belonging  to  the  dead  queen  of  a  gipsy  band  encamping  near 
Elizabeth,  N.J.  was  burnt  a  few  days  ago.  It  comprised  silk  and 
satin  dresses,  jewellery,  lace,  a  valuable  waggon,  &c.  valued  in  all  at 
nearly  2,500  dols. —  Yorkshire  Gazette^  21  June,  1884. 

Superstition  at  Ohio. — Ohio,  which  is  still  suffering  from  the  effects 
of  the  earthquakes,  is  now  visited  by  another  calamity.  A  large 
number  of  lemon  and  orange  trees,  which  form  one  of  the  chief 
resources  of  the  island,  are  attacked  by  an  unknown  disease,  and 
specialists  are  being  sent  by  the  Minister  of  Commerce  to  make 
investigations   into   the  matter.     Meanwhile,   the  pious  inhabitants 


NOTICES  AND  NEWS.  223 

are  having  recourse  to  supernatural  remedies.  Having  chartered  a 
special  steamer,  they  have  brought  from  one  of  the  monasteries  of 
Mount  Athos  a  miracle-working  girdle  of  the  Virgin,  and  a  grand 
procession,  headed  by  the  Orthodox  Metropolitan,  is  bearing  the 
sacred  relic  through  the  orchards. —  Yorkshire  Gazette^  14  June, 
1884. 


NOTICES  AND  NEWS. 

Folk-lore  of  Modern  Greece  :  the  Tales  of  the  People.  Edited  by  the 
Eev.  E.  M.  Geldart.  London,  1884.  (Sonnenschein.) 
Mr.  Geldart  presents  the  lover  of  fairy  tales  with  a  very  acceptable 
book  ;  and  if  the  publishers  could  have  been  induced  to  put  it  into 
suitable  covers  we  should  have  been  all  the  better  pleased.  But  if  the 
covers  please  the  children  the  stories  will  be  acceptable  to  many  who 
have  long  passed  the  stage  of  childhood.  They  are  translations  from 
the  Greek  text  of  Von  Hahn's  collections.  Modern  Greek  folk-lore 
is  interesting  and  valuable  in  many  ways.  Primarily  it  would  show 
us  the  relics  of  old  classical  beliefs  and  be  of  infinite  service  in  eluci- 
dating the  popular  life  of  marchen.  Secondarily  it  would  show  signs 
of  the  non-Greek  element  which  has  absorbed  so  much  of  later  Greek 
life.  In  this  last  subject  it  appears  to  us  that  these  Greek  stories  are 
particularly  valuable.  Several  story-incidents  unmistakeably  belong 
to  some  other  origin  than  the  classical  sources  with  which  most  of  us 
are  familiar.  One  or  two  are  identical  with  incidents  in  the  mediaeval 
collection  of  stories  known  as  the  Seven  Wise  Masters^  the  literary 
history  of  which  has  been  so  thoroughly  traced.  But  beyond  these 
accidental  parallels,  if  we  may  thus  qualify  them,  there  are  also  plain 
indications  of  that  wide-spread  class  of  belief  in  Kackshasis,  the  can- 
nibal demons,  which  takes  us  back  to  pre- Aryan  life,  and  which  abounds 
so  greatly  in  Hindu  folk-tales.  Altogether  we  should  think  few  more 
generally  interesting  collections  of  tales  have  been  issued  for  some 
considerable  time.  One  question  we  would  ask  Mr.  Geldart  is. 
Whether  the  word  "  dragon  "  is  the  correct  translation  of  the  Greek 
original ;  should  it  not  rather  be  "ogre "  ?    The  stoiy  list  is  as  follows  : 


224  NOTICES  AND  NEWS. 

The  Two  Brothers  and  the  Forty-nine  Dragons  ;  the  Nine  Doves;  my 
Lady  Sea;  Little  Saddleslut  (Cinderella)  ;  Starbright  and  Birdie;  the 
Golden  Wand ;  the  Snake,  the  Dog,  and  the  Cat ;  Sir  Lazarus  and 
the  Dragons  ;  the  Lion,  the  Tiger,  and  the  Eagle  ;  the  Little  Brother 
who  saved  his  Sister  from  the  Dragon ;  the  Bet  with  the  Beardless ; 
the  Knife  of  Slaughter,  the  Whetstone  of  Patience  and  the  Unmelting 
Candle  ;  the  Fox  on  Pilgrimage ;  the  Husbandman,  the  Snake,  and 
the  Fox  ;  the  Princess  who  went  to  the  Wars  ;  the  Twins ;  the  Goat- 
Girl  ;  the  Bayberry ;  the  Prince  and  the  Fairy ;  the  Golden  Stud  ; 
the  Golden  Casket ;  the  Cunning  Old  Man  ;  the  Shoemaker  and  the 
Princess  ;  the  Tale  of  the  Dragon  ;  Little  John,  the  Widow's  Son; 
the  Scab-pate;  Constantes  and  the  Dragon;  the  Crazy  Priestess  with 
her  Crazy  Daughters  ;  the  Man  without  a  Beard. 

Mdlusine  for  May  contains  the  following  articles :  Popular  super- 
stitions in  the  Liber  Scarapsus  (a  treatise  attributed  to  S.  Pirmin, 
who  died  in  753),  by  M.  S.  Berger;  notes  on  popular  melodies; 
on  the  great  bear  ;  on  the  rainbow ;  the  magician,  a  song  from 
C6tes  du  Nord ;  Germaine,  a  song  from  Loiret;  a  Greek  tale  from 
Asia  Minor,  a  tale  "  L'embrouillement  des  Pieds."  The  June 
number  contains  :  Contes  Nagos,  by  M.  I'Abbe  P.  Bouche ;  notes  on 
popular  melodies  ;  "  les  vedas  reduits  u  leur  juste  valeur";  folk-lore 
of  Finland ;  the  great  bear  ;  and  the  rainbow. 

The  Council  in  their  Annual  Report  state  that  the  Right  Reverend 
the  Bishop  of  St.  John's  Kaffraria  (Dr.  Henry  Callaway)  has  very 
kindly  presented  to  the  Society  about  eighty  copies  of  his  very  valu- 
able Zulu  Nursery  Literature,  and  about  five  hundred  copies  of  his 
Religious  System  of  the  Amazulu.  This  most  generous  and  acceptable 
gift  will  enable  the  Council  to  send  a  copy  of  the  latter  work  to  each 
member  of  the  Society;  and,  with  reference  to  the  Zulu  Niirsery 
Literature,  the  Council  propose  to  offer  it  for  sale  to  members  of  the 
Society  at  half-a-guinea,  any  copies  that  may  remain  being  offered  to 
the  general  public  at  one  guinea  net.  As  this  book  is  exceedingly 
scarce  and  valuable,  members  who  wish  to  purchase  a  copy  should 
send  in  their  names  at  once. 


THE  FOLK-LORE  OF  DRAYTON. 

PART  II. — Minerals — Animals — Portents. — (  Continued  from 
page  151.) 

ELIEF  in  tlie  esoteric  properties  of  stones  and  gems  is 
now,  I  think,  but  very  loosely  held  in  England.  Here 
and  there  we  may  have  it  somewhat  incredulously  hinted 
that  good  or  bad  fortune  is  connected  with  this  or  that 
particular  specimen  of  precious  crystal  (the  Koh-i-nUr  for  instance), 
and  that  opals  are  pierres  de  malheur  is  a  fancy  that  not  infre- 
quently crops  up ;  but  it  is  certain  that  cost  and  beauty  are  with 
most  people  the  only  attributes  of  gems ;  and  it  may  be  suspected  that 
the  most  superstitious  of  fair  ones  would  rather  *'  witch  the  world  "  in 
opals  than  suff'er  any  eclipse  for  lack  of  them.  One  reason,  I  suppose, 
why  the  folk-lore  of  gems  has  lost  its  vigour  is  that  it  probably  never 
gained  good  root-hold  in  the  soil  that  would  best  have  fostered  it. 
Supposed  influence  of  diamonds  or  of  rubies  had  but  little  to  do  with 
the  every- day  experiences  of  men  and  women  of  the  class  which  down 
to  this  age  of  universal  schooling  has  unlearned  even  less  than  it  has 
learned.  It  is  there  that  the  natural  life  of  folk-lore  is  sustained- 
folk-lore  which  exists  in  independence  of  it  is  like  a  gathered  flower 
which,  at  best,  soon  becomes  nought  "  to  the  general,"  but  a  curiosity 
in  a  hortus  siccus, 

Drayton  has  considerately  embalmed  much  of  the  creed  of  his  time 
concerning  gems  as  a  curative,  prophylactic,  and  talismanic  agents. 
Verily,  as  Dr.  Thomas  Browne  *  remarks,  *'  he  must  have  more  heads 
than  Rome  had  hills  that  makes  out  half  of  those  virtues  ascribed  unto 
stones." 

Tlie  nymphs  of  the  Muses  Elysium  f  are  our  poet's  mouth-pieces, 
and  they  hymn  the  results  of  his  reading  to  Apollo  :^ 

"  No  gems  from  rocks,  seas,  running  streams 
(Their  numbers  let  us  muster), 

*  Pseudodoxia  Epidemica,  book  ii.  ch.  5,  p.  73. 
t  Nymphal,  ix.  [iv.  1516-18J. 

Vol.  2.— Part  8.  q 


226  THE  FOLK-LORE  OB^  DRAYTON. 

But  hath  from  thy  most  perfect  beams 
The  virtue  and  the  lustre; 
The  diamond  the  king  of  gems 
The  first  is  to  be  placed, 
That  glory  is  of  diadems, 
Them  gracing,  by  them  graced; 
In  whom  thy  power  the  most  is  seen 
The  raging  fire  refelling." 

If  I  may  interrupt  Drayton  I  should  like  to  remark  that  the  com- 
bustibility of  this  glorified  piece  of  carbon  is  no  longer  questioned. 
*'It  burns,"  writes  Madame  de  Barrera,*  ''with  an  undulating  bluish 
flame  ;  it  will  evaporate  entirely  in  a  coppel  with  a  less  degree  of  heat 
than  is  necessary  to  fuse  silver,  and  leave  no  residue." 

"  The  emerald  then  most  deeply  green, 
For  beauty  most  excelling, 
Eesisting  poison  often  prov'd 
By  those  about  that  wear  it." 

— a  property  which  I  may  say,  by  the  way,  was  attributed  to  most  of 
the  precious  stones. 

"  The  cheerful  ruby  then  much  lov'd, 
That  doth  revive  the  spirit, 
Whose  kind  to  large  extensure  grown. 
The  colour  so  enflamed. 
Is  that  admired  mighty  stone 
The  carbuncle  f  that's  named, 
Which  from  it  such  a  flaming  light. 
And  radiency  ejecteth, 
That  in  the  very  darkest  night 
The  eye  to  it  directeth." 

Even  Dr.  Thomas  Browne  J  did  not  dispute  the  possibility  of  the 
carbuncle's  shining  in  the  dark,  though  he  suspected  a  metaphor  was 
involved  in  the  assertion  that  it  did.  In  many  tales  of  enchantment 
we  find  ourselves  in  apartments  which  are  illuminated  by  these 
precious  stones,  and  Madame  de  Barrera  §  remarks  that  the  "splendour 
of  tlie  ruby  in  the  absence  of  light  is,  up  to  a  certain  point,  confirmed 

♦  Oi-vis  and  JewrU,  p.  176. 

t  Carbuncles  now-a-days  are  garnets,  cut  with  a  concave  lower,  and  convex 
upper  side. 

X  Pucud.  Ejnd.  book  ii.  cli.  5,  p.  73.  §   (rcms  and  Jewels,  pp.  243-244. 


r 


THE  FOLK-LORE  OP  DRAYTON.  227 


by  modern  writers.  A  recent  traveller  tells  us  that  at  a  SiameEe 
court  where  only  a  subdued  light  was  admitted  the  diamonds  and 
carbuncles  on  the  king's  person  glittered  and  flashed  like  miniature 
lightning."  I  believe  that  Science  herself  admits  that  the  diamond 
has  the  power  of,  as  it  were,  meshing  sunlight,  and  of  keeping  it  for 
some  appreciable  time  in  its  toils,  amidst  surrounding  darkness. 

"  The  yellow  jacynth  strengthning  sense, 
Of  which  who  hath  the  keeping, 
No  thunder  hurts  nor  pestilence, 
And  much  provoketh  sleeping. 
The  crysolite  that  doth  resist 
Thirst,  proved  never  failing, 
The  purple-coloured  amethyst 
'Gainst  strength  of  wine  prevailing ;  " 

it   being   the   outcome   of  a    metamorphosed    nymph    successful    in 

resisting  the  seductions  of  Bacchus,  whose  purple  grapes,  observe,  are 

reflected  in  the  gem. 

"  The  verdant  gay  green  smaragdus. 
Most  sovereign  over  passion. 
The  sardonix,  approved  by  us 
To  master  incantation. 
Then  that  celestial  colour'd  stone 
The  saphyr,  heavenly  wholly, 
Which  worn,  there  weariness  is  none, 
And  cureth  melancholy." 

It  was  perhaps  in  mercy  to  his  muse,  if  we  can  suspect  Drayton  of 
such  tenderness,  that  he  forbore  to  dwell  on  the  mystic  attributes  of 
lazulus,  jaspis  {sic)j  onyx,  topaz,  beryl,  opal,  pearls  and  agate,*  which 
he  enumerates  as  being  worthy  to  adorn  a  priceless  shrine  to  Apollo ; 
its 

"  base  is  the  carnelian, 
Strong  bleeding  often  stopping ;" 

and  there,  too,  should  be  found  the  turquoise  f  or 

*  Onyx  and  cornelian  are,  strictly  speaking,  agates. 

f  As  "  true  as  tui'quoise  "  is  an  expression  in  Ben  Jonson's  S^janm,  act  i. 
In  reference  to  this  passage  Gifford  quotes  Swan's  Speculum  Mundi : — "  Turcois 
is  a  compassionate  stone  :  if  the  wearer  of  it  be  not  well  it  changeth  colour  and 
looketh  pale  and  dim,  but  encreaseth  to  his  perfectnesse  as  the  wearer  recovereth 
to  his  health." 

Q2 


THE  FOLK-LORE  OF  DRAYTON. 

"  turkesse,  which  who  haps  to  bear 
Is  often  kept  from  peril. 
The  selenite  of  Cynthia's  light, 
So  named  with  her  still  ranging, 
Which  as  she  wanes  or  waxeth  light 
Its  colours  so  are  changing." 

Of  the  selenite  I  shall  have  something  more  to  say  anon  ;  let  us 
now  revert  to  pearls  which  Drayton  tells  us  elsewhere  *  may  be  found 
by  the  river  Irt,  in  "Westmoreland.  He  calls  them  "  orient  pearls," 
and  would  have  us  believe  that  they  are  made  of  dew  (deaw,  as  our 
text-book  has  it)  sucked  in  by  shining  shells,  an  origin  almost  as 
fanciful  as  that  ascribed  to  the  Austurian  steeds,  which,  in  consequence 
of  their  swiftness, 

"  Some  have  held  to  be  begotten  of  the  wind."  f 

Drayton  seems  to  have  shared  the  belief  of  his  age  about  the  origin 

of  crystal,  which  was  seriously  accepted  as  ice,  as  its  name  denotes.   He 

refers  to  it  in  that  one  of  the  Heroical  Epistles  \  he  penned  in  the 

character  of  Edward  the  Fourth  to  Mrs.  Shore  : — 

"  How  silly  is  the  Polander  and  Dane 
To  bring  us  crystal  from  the  frozen  main 
When  thy  clear  skin's  transparence  doth  surpass 
Their  crystal  as  the  diamond  doth  glass." 

"  Whether  crystal  be  ice  or  some  other  liquor  I  omit  to  dispute," 
says  the  cautious  and  learned  Selden,§  commenting  hereupon  **  yet 
by  the  example  of  amber  and  coral  there  may  be  such  an  induration, 
for  Solinus  out  of  Pliny  men,tioneth  that  in  the  northerly  region  a 
yellow  gelly  is  taken  up  out  of  the  sea  at  low  tides  which  he  calls 
Succinum,  we  amber.  So  likewise  out  of  the  Ligustick  deep,  a  part 
of  the  Mediterranean  sea,  a  greenish  stalk  is  gathered  which,  hardened 
in  the  air,  comes  to  be  coral,  either  white  or  red.  Amber,  notwith- 
standing, is  thought  to  drop  out  of  trees,"  &c.  Drayton  ||  speaks  of  a 
"  bastard  coral,"  that  belongs  to  the  vegetable  world,  and  "  breeds  on 
the  moist(!d  skirt  with  sea-weed  fringed  about."     When 

"  drawn  out  of  the  brack 
A  brittle-stalk  becomes  from  greenish  turned  to  black," 

*  Pol.  XXX.  [iii.  1224].  f  Pol.  vi.  [ii.  776,  note  782]. 

X  [i.  329].  ^  [i.  333].  ||  Pol.  ii.  [ii.  686J. 


THE  FOLK-LORE  OF  DRAYTON.  229 

and  this  the  ancients,  for  the  love  they  bare  to  Isis,  called  her  hair. 
Of  it,  as  our  poet  fancies — 

"  the  Naiads  and  the  blue  Nereids  make 
Them  taudrics  for  their  necks." 

Now  return  we  to  the  Selenite  which  is  so  ruled  by  Cynthia. 

Cynthia  herself — all  one  with  Selene  the  moon — in  conversing  with 
Endymion,*  refers  to  the  sympathy  that  gems  have  with  her  phases, 
and  makes  special  mention  of  this  her  namesake,  now  called  adularia 
by  mineralogists,  from  Adula,  a  mountain-peak  near  St.  Gotthard, 
where  it  is  to  be  found.  It  is  a  kind  of  feldspar;  and  it  reflects  and 
refracts  light  with  much  the  same  effect  as  an  opal.  The  lady  fur- 
thei-more  asserts  that  the  palm  and  olive  shoot  forth  new  branches 
with  her  increase  and  declare  her  power;  and  claims  that  she,  like  her 
brother  Apollo,  has  a  flower  {Selenotr opium)  whose  opening  and 
closing  correspond  with  her  rising  and  setting.  ''A  Louer,"  writes 
Lyly,f  "  is  like  ye  hearb  Heliotropium,  which  alwaies  enclyneth  to 
that  place  where  the  Sunne  shineth,  and  being  deprived  of  the  Sunne 
dieth  ;  for  as  Lunaris  hearbe  as  long  as  the  Moone  waxeth  bringeth 
forth  leaues  and  in  the  waning  shaketh  them  off":  so  a  Louer,  whilst  he 
is  in  the  company  of  his  Lady,  wher  al  joyes  encrease,  vttereth  manye 
pleasaunt  conceites,  but,  banyshed  from  the  sight  of  his  Mistris,  wher 
all  mirth  decreaseth,  eyther  lyueth  in  Melancholic  or  dieth  with  despe- 
ration." As  examples  of  her  influence  on  the  animal  kingdom  Cynthia 
declares  : 


Whilst, 


"  The  cruel  panther  on  his  shoulder  bears 
A  spot  that  daily  changeth  as  I  do." 


The  nimble  babion,t  mourning  all  the  time, 
Nor  eats  between  my  waning  and  my  prime. 
The  spotted  cat,  whose  sharp  and  subtil  sight, 
Pierceth  the  vapour  of  the  blackest  night, 
My  want  and  fulness  in  her  eye  doth  find. 
So  great  am  I  and  powerful  in  that  kind. 


*  The  Man  in  the  Moon  [iv.  1334]. 
Ihiphves  (Arber's  edition),  p.  412.  X  Baboon. 


230  THE  FOLK-LORE  OF  DRAYTON. 

As  those  great  burghers  of  the  forest  wild, 
The  hart,  the  goat,  and  he  that  slew  the  child  * 
Of  wanton  Mirrah,  in  their  strength  do  know 
The  due  observance  nature  doth  me  owe." 

That  the  panther  had  a  spot  on  his  liide  which  bore  the  form  of  the 
moon,  and  that,  like  her,  it  regularly  increased  to  full  and  then 
diminished  to  a  crescent,  was  an  error  at  least  as  old  as  Pliny ,t  who 
likewise  tells  us  of  a  species  of  ape  that  became  quite  melancholy  when 
the  moon  was  on  the  wane,  and  leapt  for  joy  at  the  time  of  new  moon, 
and  adored  it.  That  the  domestic  cat  and  other  felidcB  have  pupils 
which  are  but  narrow  lines  in  sunshine  and  are  at  night  dilated  is  a 
fact  which  Science  recognises.  It  was  mainly  on  account  of  this  pecu- 
liarity, as  I  believe,  that  cats  were  chosen  for  the  steeds  of  the  Teu- 
tonic goddess  Freyja,  J  who  ruled  the  night,  as  her  brother  Fro  or 
Freyr,  in  some  sort,  ruled  the  day.§  So  Pussy  was  a  kind  of  symbol  of 
lunar  influence;  and,  as  that  influence  is  great  on  tides,  seafaring  men 
pay  great  respect  to  cats.  || 

Another  bit  of  folk-lore  about  the  panther  is  to  be  found  in  NoalCs 
Flood ;  f  it  is  referred  to  as  an  animal 

"  whose  delicious  scent 
Oft  causeth  beasts  his  harbour  to  frequent; 
But  having  got  them  once  into  his  power, 
Sucketh  their  blood  and  doth  their  flesh  devour." 

*  The  boar,  which  slew  Adonis. 

t  Natural  Ilutory  (Bohn's  edition),  vol.  ii.  pp.  274  and  348. 

X  Grimm's  Teutonic  Mytlwlogy.  (Stallybrass's  translation),  vol.  i.  p.  .305.  For 
the  way  in  which  fairies  utilised  cats'  eyes  see  Nympliidia  [ii.  452].  I  shall 
discuss  the  passage  later  on. 

§  "  Snorri  says  rain  and  sunshine  arc  in  the  gift  of  Freyr  (as  elsewhere  of 
Wuotan  and  Donar)."  A  boar  was  one  of  his  attributes,  and  the  animal  was 
sacrificed  both  in  his  worship  and  in  that  of  Freyja. — See  Teutonic  Mytlwlogy y 
vol.  i.  pp.  212-213,  and  304. 

II  This  is  only  a  theory  of  my  own.  Another  is  broached  by  Mr.  Karl  Blind 
in  "  New  Finds  in  Shetland  and  Welsh  Folk-Lore  "  {Gentleman' g  Magazine  for 
March,  1882,  p.  356).  He  points  out  that  in  Shetland  the  cat  is  called  vancga  = 
him  or  her  that  goes  on  the  water  ;  and  that  Germanic  talcs  identify  her  with  the 
sea.  She  who  "goes  on  the  water  "  is  well  represented  by  a  cat  if  a  cat  sym- 
bolise the  moon,  for  the  moon  goes  on  the  sea  just  as  a  cat  likes  to  do — high  and 
dry  above  it  1 

f  [iv.  1532]. 


r 


THE  FOLK-LORE  OP  DRAYTON.  231 


This  supposed  fact  was  made  use  of  by  the  Early  Church  "  to  point  a 
moral."  In  a  Bestiary  *  of  the  thirteenth  century,  founded  on  a  Latin 
Physiologns  of  Theobaldus,  we  read  that  the  beautiful  panther,  having 
eaten  his  fill,  goes  to  sleep  for  three  days  in  his  cave  : — 

"  than  after  the  thridde  dai 
he  riseth  and  remeth  lude  so  he  mai 
nt  of  his  throte  cumeth  a  smel 
that  ouer-cnmeth  haliweic 
with  swetnesse  ic  gu  feie 
and  al  that  eure  smelleth  swete 
be  it  drie  or  be  it  wete." 

This  odour  entices  many  animals  to  come  to  him ;  but  the  dragon  lies 
trembling  in  his  den.  Thus  manipulated,  the  story  is  made  to  teach 
that  Our  Lord,  the  fair  Panther,  came*  forth  from  the  tomb,  after  lying 
there  for  three  days.  He  drew  men  unto  Him  by  the  sweetness  of 
His  love,  the  dragon  (Satan),  meanwhile  hiding  himself  for  fear 
Great  use  is  made  of  this  scent  by  Reynard  the  Fox  in  his  figment 
concerning  the  treasures  of  which  he  pretended  he  had  been  robbed.f 
"  I  fonde  ...  in  my  fadres  tresour  ...  a  combe  .  .  .  this  combe  myght 
not  be  too  moche  preysed.  Hit  was  made  of  the  bone  of  a  clene  noble 
beest,  named  Panthera,  whiche  fedeth  hym  bytwene  the  grete  Inde 
and  erthly  paradyse ;  he  is  so  lusty  fayr  and  of  colour  that  ther  is  no 
colour  vnder  the  heuen  but  somme  lyknes  is  in  hym  therto ;  he 
smelleth  so  swete  that  the  sauour  of  him  boteth  all  syknessis,  and  for 
his  beaute  and  swete  smellyng  all  other  beestis  folowe  hym,  for  by 
his  swete  sauour  they  ben  heled  of  alle  sykenessis.  This  panthera  hath 
a  fair  boon  brode  and  thynne ;  whan  so  is  that  this  beeste  is  slayn  al 
the  swete  odour  restid  in  the  bone,  which  can  not  be  broken,  ne  shal 
never  rote  ne  be  destroyed  by  fyre,  by  water,  ne  by  smityng,  hit  is  so 
hardy,  tyht,  and  faste,  and  yet  it  is  lyght  of  weyght.  The  swete  odour 
of  it  hath  grete  myght,  that  who  that  smelleth  it  sette  nought  by  none 
other  luste  in  the  world,  and  is  easyd  and  quyte  of  alle  manor  of 
diseases  and  Infirmytes."     Reynard's  report  of  the  effect  of  the  odour 

*  An  Old  English  Miscellany  (E.  E.  T.  S.),  pp.  24-25. 
t  Reynard  tlic  Fox,  translated  and  printed  by  William  Cax^on  (Arber's 
edition),  p.  83. 


232  THE  FOLK-LORE  OF  DRAYTON. 

is  more  in  accordance  with  the  Bestiary  than  is  Drayton's,  but  Lyly* 
is  with  the  latter  in  speaking  of  "  a  sweet  panther  with  a  devouring 
pouch,"  and  they  botli  follow  Pliny.f     Spenser  pens  more  scandal : — 

"  The  panther  knowing  that  his  spotted  hide 
Doth  please  all  beasts,  but  that  his  looks  them  fray. 
Within  a  bush  his  dreadful  head  doth  hide, 
To  let  them  gaze  whylest  he  on  them  may  pray."J 

If  we  remain  standing  by  the  door  of  Noah's  Ark  §  we  shall  see  other 
animals  approach  and  hear  instructive  comments  : — 

"  The  unicorn  ||  leaves  off  his  pride  and  close 
There  sets  him  down  by  the  rhinoceros," 

the  pachyderm  that  has  in  these  latter  days  usurped  the  name  of  the 
graceful  creature  which,  since  the  time  of  James  the  First,  has  so  well 
performed  its  part  in  supporting  the  royal  arms  of  Great  Britain  and 
Ireland.  Drayton  was  too  much  of  a  poet  and  too  little  of  a  naturalist 
to  combine  the  two.  He  should  have  spoken  of  the  cat  that  secreteth, 
not  of  '*the  cat  that  voideth  civet";  and  when  he  lets  slip  the  expres- 
sion, "  th'uneven  legged  badger,"  we  can  only  tell  him  that  Dr. ' 
Browne  f  finds  the  opinion  that  this  creature  "  hath  the  legs  of  one 
side  shorter  than  of  the  other  .  .  .  repugnant  unto  the  three  determi- 
nators  of  truth — authority,  sense,  and  reason,"  and  that  modern 
zoologists  do  not  note  an  inequality.  Here  comes  "  the  iron-eating 
ostrich,"  ••  here  "  the  constant  turtle,"  whose  reputation  has  survived 
the  ruthless  scoff  of  Watertonift  "The  soot-black  crow  is  just  aa 

*  Dvphves  (Arbor's  edition),  p.  54. 
t  Natural  History  (Bohn's  edition),  vol.  ii.  p.  274. 

X  Sonnet  liii.    Observe  that  Spenser  makes  "whylest"  =  "  until"— a  dreadful 
solecism  now-a-days. 
§  See  Noah's  Flood  [iv.  1533,  &c.] 

II       "  Mertilla.    0  that  the  horns  of  all  these  herds  we  see 
Were  of  fine  gold,  or  else  that  every  horn 
Were  like  to  that  one  of  the  unicorn, 
And  of  all  these  not  one  but  were  thy  fee  " — 

Nymphal,  iv.  [iv.  1482]. 
%  Pseud.  Epid.  book  iii.  ch.  5,  p.  94. 

**  There  is  no  error  in  the  belief  that  ostriches  will  swallow  iron  ;  but  our 
forefathers  thought  they  fed  on  it. 

ft  Essays  on  Natural  History  (1838),  pp.  145-146. 


THE  FOLK-LORE  OF  DRAYTON.  233 

chaste  and  affectionate  and  constant  as  the  snow-white  dove  itself." 
Next  have  we 

"  The  careful  stork,  since  Adam  wondered  at 
For  thankfulness  to  those  where  he  doth  breed  ;  " 

for — as  Drayton  explains  to  us  in  an  aside—"  the  stork  used  to  build 
on  houses,  leaveth  ever  one  behind  him  for  the  owner."  This  is  illus- 
trated by  a  yet  living  creed.*  In  North  Germany  and  in  Swabia 
people  sometimes  prepare  a  nest  for  a  stork  by  twisting  boughs  about 
the  spokes  of  an  old  cart-wheel.  It  is  said  that  when  this  is  done  the 
grateful  bird  gives  a  feather  the  first  year  of  its  tenancy,  an  egg  the 
second,  and  a  young  stork  the  third,  by  way  of  rent ;  it  then  repeats 
the  series.     Our  attention  is  now  called  to— 

"  the  loving  pelican, 
Whose  young  ones  poison'd  by  the  serpent's  sting, 
With  her  own  blood  to  life  again  doth  bring." 

The  bird  likewise  points  a  moral  in  The  Owl.'\  "In  her  piety,"  or 
"  vulning  herself,"  as  heralds  have  it,  the  pelican  was  much  used  in 
mediaeval  sculpture,  &c.,  J  as  a  figure  of  Him  who  was  pierced  that  His 
children  might  be  saved,  by  His  blood,  from  the  power  of  the  Serpent. 
That  close  observer  to  whom  we  have  lately  turned,  Mr.  Waterton, 
utterly  discredits  the  idea  of  the  young  birds  being  nourished  from 
their  mother's  veins,  and  the  story  referred  to  by  Drayton  deserves  to 
be  similarly  treated  by  all  who  are  of  the  Gradgrind  way  of  thinking. 
"  'Tis  a  wonder — a  strange  wonder," — writes  the  naturalist,§  "  how 
such  a  tale  as  this  could  ever  be  believed.  Still  we  see  representations 
of  it  in  pictures  drawn  by  men  of  science.  But  enough  of  infant  peli- 
cans, sucking  their  mamma  in  the  nursery.  I  consign  them  to  the 
fostering  care  of  my  great-grandmothers." 

"  There  came  the  halcyon  whom  the  sea  obeys, 
When  she  her  nest  upon  the  water  lays," 

a  fiction,  this,  which  took  great  hold  on  Drayton's  fancy,  and  was 

*  "  Bird  Lore,"  All  the  Year  Btnmd,  new  series,  vol.  xx.  p.  368, 

t  [iv.  1303-4]. 

%  Sometimes  the  bird  represented  is  like  unto  a  vulture.  Some  interesting 
correspondence  on  this  point  may  be  read  in  The  Academy  of  Feb.  9th,  Feb.  16th, 
and  April  5th,  1884. 

§  Essays  on  Natural  Histoiy,  3rd  series,  p.  26. 


234  THE  FOLK-LORE  OF  DEAYTON. 

used  by  him  several  times  *  to  ornament  Lis  verse.  I  suppose  his 
belief  t  was  the  same  as  Montaigne's,  '*  God  has  ordered  that  the  whole 
ocean  should  be  stayed,  made  stable,  and  smooth'd  without  waves, 
without  winds  or  rain,  whilst  the  Halcyon  broods  upon  her  young 
which  is  just  about  the  solstice,  the  shortest  day  of  the  year,|  so  that 
by  her  privilege  we  have  seven  days  and  seven  nights  in  the  very 
heart  of  winter  when  we  may  sayl  without  danger.  Their  females 
never  have  to  do  with  any  other  male  but  their  own,  whom  they 
always  serve  and  assist  without  ever  forsaking  him  all  their  lives  :  if 
he  happen  to  be  weak  and  broken  with  age  they  take  him  upon  their 
shoulders  and  carry  him  from  place  to  place  and  nurse  him  till  death. 
But  the  most  inquisitive  into  the  secrets  of  nature  could  never  yet 
arrive  at  the  knowledge  of  the  wonderful  fabrick  and  architecture 
wherewith  the  Halcyon  builds  her  nest  for  her  little  ones,  nor  guess  at 
the  matter.  Plutarch,  who  has  seen  and  handled  many  of  them, 
thinks  it  is  the  bones  of  some  fish  which  she  joyns  and  binds  together, 
interlacing  them  some  lengthwise  and  others  across,  and  adding  ribs 
and  hoops  in  such  a  manner  that  she  forms  at  last  a  round  vessel  fit 
to  launch ;  which  being  done,  and  the  building  finished,  she  carries  it 
to  the  wash  of  the  beach,  where  the  sea,  beating  gently  against  it, 
shows  her  where  she  is  to  mend  what  is  not  well  jointed  and  knit, 
and  where  better  to  fortify  the  seams  that  are  leaky,  and  that  open  at 
the  beating  of  the  waves  ;  and  on  the  contrary  what  is  well  built  and 
has  had  the  due  finishing,  the  beating  of  the  waves  does  so  close  and 

♦  NoaTCg  Flood  [iv.  1646].    "  Elegy  upon  the  noble  Lady  Agton*g  departure 
for  Spain"  [iv.  1251].     England*s  Ileroical  Epistles,  "Mortimer  to  Qaeen 
Isabel"  [i.  251].    Pol.  xxiii.  [ill.  1107].    Pol.  xxvii.  [iii.  1182]. 
t  Essay  Ixviii.  "  Of  Cruelty." 

X  Hence  the  propriety  of  Milton's  celebrated  lines  in  the  Hymn  on  ChrisVs 
Nativity : — 

"  But  peaceful  was  the  night 
Wherein  the  Prince  of  Light 

His  reign  of  peace  npon  the  earth  began  : 
The  winds  with  wonder  whist, 
Smoothly  the  waters  kist, 

Whispering  new  joys  to  the  mild  ocean, 
Who  now  hath  quite  forgot  to  rave, 
While  birds  of  calm  sit  brooding  on  the  charmed  wave." 


FOLK-LORE  IN  MODERN  GREECE.  235 

bind  together  that  it  is  not  to  be  broken  or  crack'd  by  blows  either  of 
stone  or  iron  without  very  much  ado.  And  that  which  is  more  to  be 
admired  is  the  proportion  and  figure  of  the  cavity  within,  which  is 
compos'd  and  proportioned  after  such  a  manner  as  not  possible  to 
receive  or  admit  any  other  thing  than  the  bird  that  built  it  :  for  to 
anything  else  it  is  so  impenetrable,  close  and  shut,  that  nothing  can 
enter,  not  so  much  as  the  water  of  the  sea."  Can  we  wonder  at  a 
"  pious  opinion  "  being  grounded  on  facts  as  circumstantially  authenti- 
cated as  these  ? 

"  The  charitable  rcbinet  in  came, 
Whose  nature  taught  the  others  to  be  tame." 

{To  he  continued.') 


FOLK-LORE  IN  MODEEN  GEEEOE.* 

[iHIS  is  in  all  respects  a  work  which  proclaims  the  age 
that  has  produced  it.  It  is  the  production  of  a  Society 
of  erudite  Athenians,  who  have  shown  that  they  in  no 
respect  fall  short  of  other  associations  for  corresponding 
pursuits,  whether  they  be  found  in  Paris  or  London,  Berlin  or  Rome, 
and  yet  scarcely  half  a  century  intervenes  between  the  actual  Athens 
which  has  sent  forth  this  learned  and  elegant  book  and  the  fallen  city 
which  Lord  Byron  saw  and  deplored — a  city  of  rude  huts  and  ruder 
pallikaria,  governed  by  a  low  Turkish  official,  a  Disdar  who  was  to 
obtain  a  bad  immortality  little  inferior  to  that  of  him  "  who  fired  the 
Ephesian  dome,"  he  being  in  fact  the  man  whose  potshots  at  the 
Theseus  of  the  Parthenon  were  to  inflict  irreparable  injuries  upon  that 
masterpiece  of  Pheidias,  the  dull  times  affording  this  too  energetic 
administrator  no  other  sufficient  amusement  or  occupation. 

*  Transactions  of  the  Historical  and  Ethnological  Society  of  Greece 
(^AeXriov  rrje  'IcTopeinjg  Kal  'E,6vo\oytKrJ£  'Fjraipiag  Tfjg  'EXXj^j/tK^g).  Fasciculi 
land  2.    Published  by  Perre  Brothers.    Athens,  1883. 


236  FOLK-LOKE  IN  MODERN  GREECE. 

M.  Philemon,  the  editor  of  these  Transactions,  states  in  the  Pro- 
logos  that  the  object  of  the  Society  is  to  investigate  Hellenic  life  in 
all  its  long  ages.  We  are  therefore  not  surprised  to  find,  as  we  do, 
that  folk-lore  has  taken  its  place  among  the  contents  of  this  volume. 
And  as  it  is  avowedly  our  own  subject,  we  naturally  turn  more  exclu- 
sively to  the  pages  which  the  Transactions  have  devoted  to  it. 

The  first  paper  agreeably  reminds  us  of  our  Mr.  Black's  learned 
and  interesting  work  on  "  Folk  Medicine,"  published  by  the  Folk- 
Lore  Society.  This  paper,  written  by  the  distinguished  archajologist, 
M.  Polites,  treats  of  "  illnesses  according  to  the  myths  of  the  Greek 
people."  A  perusal  of  it  shows  that  the  resemblance  between  the 
curative  theories  of  English  bumpkins  and  Greek  peasants  is  identity 
itself,  due  probably  to  the  parent  theories  having  existed  at  epochs  of 
immeasurable  antiquity  in  the  great  Aryan  race,  which  was  the  pro- 
genitrix of  the  theorists  as  we  now  know  them.  There  is  the  same 
fond  conviction  in  Greece  as  in  England  that  a  disease  can  be  induced, 
by  processes  far  from  difificult,  to  pass  from  the  human  subject  into 
trees,  or  men,  or  animals,  nay  even  into  inanimate  nature ;  the 
Greeks  believing  also  that  epidemics,  like  plague  and  cholera,  may  bo 
conveniently  relegated  into  desert  places,  there  to  explode  their 
noxious  activity  without  injury  to  the  community. 

M.  Mariannes  supplies  a  short  collection  of  Athenian  Paramythia 
(fairy  tales),  collected  by  himself.  The  first,  entitled  Tolpetsa  (a 
proper  name),  is  chiefly  interesting  for  containing  the  western 
mediaeval  incident  of  an  old  king  being  treated  for  his  leprosy  by 
means  of  a  bath  of  child's  blood. 

No.  2,  entitled "  The  much  exalted  Ogre"(6  7ro\v(j>ov^€(rfiivos  AfmKos)^ 
is  interesting  as  being  a  rendering  probably  antique,  and  taking  its 
origin  in  Byzantine  times  of  the  Homeric  story  of  Polyphemus,  whose 
name  is  played  upon  in  the  epithet  given  to  him.  He  is  not  unnatu- 
rally represented  as  a  drunken  ogre  (dracos)  living  with  his  sheep  in 
a  lonely  cave. 

No.  3,  The  Fay  (Avepaiba),  is  an  interesting  narrative  of  a  prince 
who  refuses  marriage,  though  the  queen  mother  introduces  into  his 
chamber  at  separate  times  three  beautiful  damsels,  whom  however  he 


FOLK-LORE  IN  MODERN  GREECE.  237 

treats  with  an  absolute  indifference,  explained  afterwards  by  the  simple 
fact  of  his  being  unable  even  to  see  them,  from  having  been  secretly 
married  to  a  fay  who  has  taken  from  him  his  power  of  seeing  any 
other  woman  but  herself.  This  enchantment  is  subsequently  removed 
through  the  intrepidity  of  the  youngest  of  the  three  damsels.  The  fay 
renounces  all  right  to  her  husband,  restores  to  him  his  true  vision,  and 
allows  him  to  marry  the  mortal  who  has  been  instrumental  in  his 
disenchantment.  The  whole  incident  is  quite  unknown  to  western 
fairy-lore. 

No.  4,  The  thrice  noble  Lady  and  the  three  Citrons.  This  is  a  veiy 
good  tale,  made  up  of  the  incidents  of  three  popular  Italian  fiahe^  the 
best  known  being  of  the  same  title. 

Then  follows  an  interesting  paper  by  M.  Kondylakes  upon  the 
*'  Neo-Hellenic  Mythology  of  Crete."  Besides  the  beliefs  common  to 
Greeks  in  general  the  Cretans  claim  the  Hercules  of  the  Middle  Ages, 
Digenes,  to  be  a  native  of  their  island.  They  represent  him  to  have 
been  a  fighting  giant,  and  affect  to  show  his  tomb. 

They  believe  in  the  existence  of  dracoi  (or  ogres),  and  imagine 
that  they  live  in  caves  like  the  Cyclopes.  They  are  males  and  females. 
Man  overcomes  them  by  means  of  his  superior  intelligence.  Their 
leading  characteristic  is  their  fondness  for  human  flesh.  The  dracos 
in  fact  is  the  better  known  orco  of  Italy. 

The  Cretans  believe  in  Moirai  and  Nereides,  in  fates  and  fays. 
They  also  imagine  that  there  are  arapides,  monstrous  blacks,  who  are 
man-eaters,  live  in  mysterious  towers  or  underground  mansions,  keeping 
talking-dogs  and  talking-horses,  and  they  guard  hidden  treasures. 
They  possess  magic  powers,  and  have  a  water  that  confers  immor- 
tality. 

M.  Polites  has  a  paper  entitled  "  Hellenic  folk-tales  compared  with 
those  of  other  peoples."  Its  one  subject,  "  The  bald-headed  boy,"  is 
a  curious  story  of  the  Eeynaert  series,  and  is  accompanied  by  a  learned 
commentary. 

Next  we  have  the  most  interesting  tales  of  the  fasciculus,  "  Athenian 
folk-tales,  collected  by  M.  Kampourales."     These  have  especial  merit. 

No.  1  is.  The  man  made  of  Sugar. 

A  princess  who  has  moulded  the  figure  of  a  beautiful  man  out  of 


238  FOLK-LORE  IN  MODERN  GREECE. 

sugar  obtains  by  her  prayers  the  grace  from  the  Almighty  tliat  it  shall 
become  a  real  man,  and  she  is  married  to  him.  A  neighbouring 
princess  falls  in  love  with  him  on  hearsay  and  kidnaps  him  to  her 
own  palace,  where  he  is  married  de  novo  to  the  new  aspirant.  The 
original  princess,  finding  that  her  husband  does  not  return,  sets  out 
in  search  of  him,  taking  with  her  (mirahile  dictu)  exact  counterparts 
of  Pcau  d'Ane's  three  marvellous  dresses.  She  reaches  the  city  where 
her  husband  now  lives,  and  is  accepted  into  the  service  of  the  king 
and  queen  as  goose-girl.  There  she  eventually  bribes  the  queen  by 
means  of  the  three  dazzling  dresses  to  let  her  sleep  in  the  king's 
chamber  on  three  successive  nights,  on  the  third  of  which  she 
succeeds  in  making  the  king  sensible  of  her  presence,  and  the  pair 
make  their  escape  to  their  own  kingdom. 

This  is  a  well-known  Italian  ^aJa.  It  is  curious  also  for  its  con- 
taining a  reflection  of  Peau  d'Ane  and  for  its  inversion  of  the  antique 
myth  of  Pygmalion  and  Galatea. 

No.  3,  The  thrice  Accursed,  i.e.  the  devil. 

This  is  the  same  story  as  the  various  Italian  versions  of  Blue  Beard, 
wherein  the  objectionable  husband  is  always  a  devil. 

In  this  Greek  tale  Belzebub  marries  a  princess  who  is  too  proud 
to  accept  any  one  else.  He  takes  her  off  in  a  ship  (a  more  Greekish 
conveyance  than  a  coach  and  four)  to  his  abode  in  a  desolate  mountain, 
and  there  shows  her,  by  way  of  preliminary  monition,  to  borrow  Lord 
Penzance's  phraseology,  a  woman  hanging  up.  This  was  his  former 
wife,  another  princess,  to  whom  he  had  given  a  man's  heart  for  a 
meal,  and  on  her  failing  to  eat  it  had  killed  her.  He  tries  his  new 
wife  with  a  similar  dainty,  and  then  departs  for  the  chase.  When 
he  returns  she  tells  him  that  she  has  eaten  the  heart,  but  is  con- 
tradicted by  the  heart  itself  who  testifies  against  her. 

On  this  evidence  the  new  wife  is  hung  up  like  her  predecessor. 
The  devil  now  marries  successively  his  wife's  two  sisters;  and  the 
Greek  story  proceeds  on  the  same  lines  as  the  Italian.  The  youngest 
wife  outwits  the  devil,  and  escapes  from  his  mountain  abode.  Her 
escape  however  is  brought  about  not  by  her  own  subtilty,  as  in  the 
Italian  tale,  but  by  the  assistance  of  strangers,  as  in  Perrot's  French 
version. 


FOLK-LORE  IN  MODERN  GREECE.  239 

No.  4,  The  Queen  of  the  Gorgons.  Though  this  title  breathes  the 
classic  lore  of  old  Greece,  this  tale  is  intrinsically  Eastern. 

An  envious  prince  sets  a  vizier's  son  three  tasks,  apparently  impos- 
sible, which,  however,  the  other  accomplishes.  One  of  them  is  to 
abduct  for  the  prince  a  lady  who  turns  out  to  be  the  Queen  of  the 
Gorgons.  In  the  result  the  queen  gives  herself  in  marriage  to  the 
vizier's  son. 

No.  5,  The  Princess  who  was  a  witch  (or  more  properly  a  demon). 

This  is  the  same  as  a  story  in  Ralston's  Russian  Tales,  where  a 
similar  female  demon  in  a  family  eats  up  every  human  being  within 
her  reach,  her  own  family  included.  The  Greek  story  is  the  better 
told  of  the  two. 

No.  6,  The  Black  Man. 

A  poor  old  woman  hands  over  to  a  mysterious  black  man  her  idle, 
good-for-nothing  son.  The  latter  is  taken  to  his  master's  abode  in 
the  bowels  of  the  earth,  and  there  meets  with  a  beautiful  princess,  by 
whose  instructions  he  foils  his  master's  attempts  to  destroy  him.  He 
eventually  rescues  the  princess,  and  is  married  to  her. 

No.  7,  King  Sleep. 

This  is  a  strange  story  of  a  prince  who  refuses  to  marry,  and  is 
interesting  only  because  it  introduces  one  of  the  fates  (moirai)  as  an 
actor  in  the  drama.     A  curious  reminiscence  of  antiquity. 

No.  8,  The  Enchanted  Lake. 

Three  princes  are  commanded  by  their  father  to  mount  the  roof  of 
the  palace  and  shoot  each  an  arrow  into  space.  Wherever  an  arrow 
falls,  the  prince  who  has  launched  it  will  find  his  wife.  The  two  elder 
princes  succeed  in  getting  wives  in  this  way.  The  arrow  of  the 
youngest  travels  a  great  distance  and  enters  a  lake.  When  the  prince 
comes  up  he  finds  that  a  frog  has  seized  it.  He  takes  up  the  frog  and 
conveys  it  to  his  own  room.  The  frog  is  really  an  enchanted  princess. 
When  the  prince  goes  out  in  the  day  she  appears  as  a  beautiful  girl, 
cleans  the  room,  and  cooks  the  produce  of  his  last  chase.  The  prince, 
being  surprised  at  this,  watches  for  her,  and  catches  her  in  the  act. 
She  tells  him  her  history — that  her  family  is  royal,  but  God  has  cursed 
them,  and  condemned  them  to  live  in  the  lake.  The  prince's  eldest 
brother  determines  to  give  a  dinner  on  his  father's  birthday  and  invites 


240  FOLK-LORE  IN  MODERN  GREECE. 

his  youngest  brother.  As  the  latter  comes  alone  he  is  asked  why  he 
lias  not  brought  his  wife,  whereupon  he  runs  home  and  tells  her.  She 
directs  him  to  go  to  the  lake  and  make  a  peculiar  cry  to  which  he  will 
receive  an  answer.  He  must  then  say  "  Your  daughter  has  sent  me. 
Give  me  a  gold  rod  and  a  silver  one ;  a  goose's  eggj  and  two  hen's 
eggs.  Bring  them  home."  He  follows  her  directions,  obtains  all  the 
enchanted  objects,  and  returns  home  with  them.  She  strikes  the 
ground  with  the  gold  rod,  and  three  female  slaves  appear.  She  strikes 
again,  and  another  female  slave  appears  with  a  basket  full  of  magni- 
ficent clothes,  and  the  prince  and  princess  dress  themselves  in  these. 
The  princess  then  strikes  the  ground  with  the  silver  rod,  and  a  coach 
with  four  white  horses  appears.  In  the  meantime  the  sisters-in-law 
arc  laughing  in  expectation  of  the  frog  princess's  coming,  but  they 
are  to  be  disappointed.  The  carriage  drives  up  to  the  door,  the 
expected  frog,  now  a  brilliantly  attired  young  princess,  is  handed  out 
by  her  brothers-in-law,  and  is  introduced  to  the  king.  She  gives  the 
eggs  to  them  and  they  become  presents  of  inestimable  value.  The 
marriage  of  the  youngest  prince  and  his  bride  is  straightway  celebrated, 
and  the  king  and  queen  from  the  lake  send  their  daughter  a  marriage 
portion  (TrpoKa). 

This  is  the  same  as  a  story  in  Imbriani's  Florentine  collection. 
We  cannot  overlook  also  the  riscontro  between  Cinderella's  coach  and 
horses,  produced  so  conveniently  for  the  heroine  in  the  Italian  and 
French  stories. 

No.  9,  The  Cats. 

A  poor  old  beggar-woman  goes  home  supperless  one  night  to  her 
little  house,  but,  as  there  is  nothing  there  for  her  to  eat,  hunger 
drives  her  out  again  into  the  street.  After  wandering  about  for  some 
time  she  sees  a  light  at  a  distance.  She  makes  for  it,  thinking  that 
there  is  some  wedding  festivity  going  on.  She  knocks  at  the  door, 
and  a  great  black  cat  opens  it.  She  enters  and  goes  up  stairs,  and  in 
a  beautifully  funiished  room  sees  two  lady-cats,  each  sitting  on  her 
own  sofa  and  smoking  respectively  a  chibouque  and  a  narghileh.  The 
old  woman  apologizes,  but  the  cats  receive  her  kindly  and  tell  her  to 
fetch  her  sack.  She  goes  out  and  borrows  one  of  a  friend,  telling  her 
that  some  one  has  given  some  flour.     On  her  return  with  the  sack 


FOLK-LORE  IN  MODERN  GREECE.  241 

the  cats  fill  it  with  gold  pieces,  and  give  it  her  back  and  dismiss  her. 
As  soon  as  she  gets  home  she  empties  the  sack  as  she  thinks  and 
returns  it  to  the  lender,  who  on  searching  it  through  finds  that  a  gold 
piece  has  been  left  in  it,  whereupon  she  goes  to  the  old  woman  and  by 
threats  of  the  police  extorts  from  her  an  avowal  of  the  truth.  Upon 
this  knowledge  slie  goes  herself  to  the  house  of  the  cats,  and  threatens 
to  denounce  them  if  they  do  not  fill  her  sacks  (she  had  brought  two) 
with  gold  also.  The  cats  order  their  servant  to  do  so,  and  dismiss  the 
woman,  enjoining  her  not  to  open  the  sacks  until  she  gets  home.  She 
follows  the  direction,  and  when  she  opens  them,  lo !  snakes  jump  out 
of  them  and  eat  her  up,  leaving  nothing  of  her  but  her  skeleton. 
This  story  in  its  motif  is  the  same  as  Imbriani's  Tuscaa^ia — "  II  con- 
vento  dei  gatti."  The  Greek  fiction  is,  however,  the  more  picturesque 
of  the  two. 

No.  10,  The  King  of  the  Birds. 

A  king  who  has  three  daughters  promises  them  all  something,  as 
the  other  father  does  in  the  Italian  version  of  "  Beauty  and  the 
Beast,"  and  on  his  return  duly  delivers  his  presents.  The  youngest 
daughter  takes  hers  (a  jonquil)  to  her  chamber  and  places  it  in  a  pot. 
After  a  little  while  a  golden  eagle  emerges  from  the  flower.  This 
straightway  turns  into  a  beautiful  young  man,  who  tells  her  that  he  is 
king  of  the  birds  and  the  reptiles.  He  ofi'ers  her  marriage,  and  is 
accepted.  He  then  visits  her  every  day,  and  explains  to  her  how  he 
may  be  summoned  when  she  shall  require  him.  The  sisters  discover 
the  secret,  and  lay  a  snare  for  the  prince,  by  which,  when  he  is  next 
summoned,  he  is  cruelly  cut  with  broken  glass.  The  prince,  being 
enraged  at  this  strange  treatment,  tells  his  wife  that  he  abandons  her, 
and  then  disappears.  She  starts  in  search  of  him,  and  in  the  course 
of  her  wanderings  she  overhears  some  snakes  talking  together  about 
what  has  befallen  their  king.  They  say  that  the  remedy  for  his  hurts 
would  be  obtained  by  some  person  killing  one  of  them  and  taking  out 
his  fat.  She  goes  further,  and  overhears  some  birds  talking  in  the 
same  way  as  the  snakes.  She  accordingly  kills  one  of  the  snakes  and 
one  of  the  birds,  and  takes  out  of  each  some  of  his  fat,  and  then 
hastens  on  to  the  palace  of  the  suffering  king.  There  she  is  admitted, 
on  her  declaring  that  she  can  restore  him  to  health,  and  she  applies 

Vol.  2.— Part  8.  r 


242  FOLK-LOKE  IN  MODERN  GREECE. 

the  remedies.  Tlie  king  is  cured,  and  the  pair  are  re-united.  This 
is  a  well-known  Italian  fiaha. 

No.  11,  The  Sleeping  Prince. 

A  king  leaves  his  beautiful  daughter  in  his  palace  while  he  is  absent 
on  a  distant  expedition.  As  she  sits  embroidering  an  eagle  appears 
and  carries  her  off  to  a  beautiful  palace.  She  enters  a  golden  chamber 
where  a  prince  lies  dead  asleep.  On  a  table  is  a  paper  which  says, 
"  Whoever  enters  here  and  feels  for  the  prince  must  sit  by  and  watch 
over  him  for  three  years,  three  months,  three  weeks,  three  days,  and 
three  hours,  without  going  to  sleep."  Night  comes  on,  the  palace 
lights  up  of  itself  and  a  table  appears  covered  with  viands,  but  nobody 
is  seen.  The  princess  resolves  to  watch  by  the  prince  for  the  appointed 
time.  On  the  period  passing  away  a  little  female  slave  appears,  and 
the  princess  lays  herself  down  on  her  knees,  telling  her  to  wake  her  as 
soon  as  the  king  sneezes.  The  king  wakes  up,  and,  seeing  the  slave- 
girl,  asks  her  what  has  happened.  She  tells  him  that  she  has  tended 
him  during  his  sleep,  and  that  the  princess  is  her  slave.  The  king 
believes  the  false  story,  and  says  that  she  shall  be  his  wife.  Tha 
princess  is  sent  off  to  become  a  goose-girl.  The  king  then  prepares  to 
depart  on  some  expedition,  but  previously  asks  the  goose-girl  what 
present  he  shall  bring  her  on  his  return.  She  names  three  things, 
one  of  them  being  a  rope  to  hang  herself  with.  Tlie  king  on  his 
return  delivers  this  sorry  present,  and  in  the  evening  overhears  the 
poor  princess  telling  her  sad  story  to  it  and  asking  its  advice.  The 
rope  tells  her  unreservedly  to  hang  herself,  and  while  she  is  doing 
so  the  king  bursts  into  the  room  and  prevents  her.  They  are  of  course 
married,  and  the  slave-girl  takes  her  turn  at  goose-keeping. 

Besides  what  we  have  excerpted  and  referred  to  there  are  very 
many  papers  in  this  volume  of  exceeding  merit  and  of  deep  interest  to 
scholars  and  archaeologists,  but,  as  these  are  not  within  our  more 
limited  province,  we  content  ourselves  with  this  general  reference  only. 

From  our  foregoing  summaries  the  reader  will  have  seen  that  the 
Nco-Hellenic  ;)a7*a7/iy</iia  and  the  Italian /aJe  in  many  instances  con- 
tain identical  fictions.  This  identity  is  not  confined  to  the  examples 
given  in  these  pages,  but  is  discernible  in  a  host  of  other  stories 
common  to  both  nationalitios,  that  universal  favourite  of  Europe,  la 


p 


AMERICAN  SONGS  AND  GAMES.  243 


Cenerentolttf  which  is  both  Greek  and  Italian,  being  one  only  of  the 
more  striking  of  these  affinities.  This  general  fact,  once  established, 
raises  a  question  of  some  interest  to  folk-lorists.  Of  these  and  other 
sister  tales  which  are  the  prototypes,  the  Greek  or  the  Italian  ?  Both 
cannot  be  original.  The  question  has  already  been  mooted  in  Dr. 
Pitre's  Arcliivio,  where  it  has  attracted  deserved  attention,  in  the  case 
more  particularly  of  La  Cenerentola,  the  Greek  Stachte.  The  whole 
question  deserves  the  best  attention  of  our  Englisli  folk-lorists  also, 
the  more  especially  as  abundant  material  is  now  perfectly  accessible  to 
all  of  them  who  have  mastered  the  modern  idiom  of  Hellas,  and  the 
study  of  this  really  graceful  language  will  probably,  besides  leading  to 
a  solution  of  an  important  literary  crux^  induce  our  countrymen  to 
abandon  in  the  pronunciation  of  ancient  Greek  the  abhorrent  super- 
stition descended  to  our  times  from  the  day  when  Sir  John  Cheke 
initiated  his  audacious  vocal  reformation,  which,  like  many  other 
alterations,  nobody  asked  for.  H.  C.  Coote. 


AMERICAN  SONGS  AND  GAMES.* 

jHE  "  existence  of  any  children's  tradition  in  America,  inde- 
pendently of  print,  has  hitherto  been  scarcely  noticed." 
This  opening  remark  of  the  editor  of  the  collection  to 
which  I  wish  to  call  attention  has  been  fully  confirmed  by 
my  own  experience.  Some  years  ago,  when  engaged  in  writing  an 
article  on  "  Folk -Lullabies"  {Eraser's  Magazine,  "Eo.  613),  I  asked 
many  American  friends  if  they  could  put  me  in  the  way  of  obtaining 
the  inedited  songs  of  American  nurseries,  but  the  answers  were  vague 
and  inconclusive.  The  most  interesting  piece  of  information  then 
received  was  from  Mr.  Bret  Harte,  who  said  that  he  had  heard  at 
Crefield  on  the  Khine  a  Dutch  mother  singing  her  child  to  sleep  with 
a  song  that  struck  him  as  strangely  familiar,  and  which  after  listening 
for  a  moment  he  recognized  as  one  he  had  often  heard  sung  amongst 

*  Oameg  and  Songs  of  American  Children,  collected  and  compared  by  William 
Wells  Newell.    New  York :  Harper  and  Brothers.     1884. 

ii2 


244  AMERICAN  SONGS  AND  GAMES. 

his  own  kindred  of  Dutch  extrtoction  in  the  United  States.  Bat  the 
difficulty  of  getting  news  of  songs  did  not  persuade  me  that  none 
such  existed.  The  folk-lore  student  is  accustomed  to  this  kind  of 
discouragement,  and  he  may  fairly  trust  his  own  intuitions  rather  than 
the  statements,  however  positive,  of  unqualified  persons.  Now,  though 
at  first  sight  so  young  a  country  as  America  might  be  pronounced 
an  unfruitful  field,  a  little  reflection  suffices  to  show  that  in  reality  it 
ought  to  be  the  very  reverse.  America  has  been  cut  off  in  a  great 
measure  from  the  action  of  those  disintegrating  forces  which  have 
broken  up  so  large  a  part  of  European,  and  especially  of  English, 
traditions.  There  are  quiet  nooks  in  New  England  where  the  English 
hamlet  of  two  or  three  hundred  years  ago  is  not  less  perfectly  repre- 
sented than  is  old  rural  France  in  the  neat  homesteads  of  the  hdbitana 
of  Canada.  What  more  admirable  picture  of  antiquated  village  life 
could  be  desired  than  that  given  in  what  it  is  hardly  rash  to  call  the 
most  memorable  of  recent  fictions — "Cape  Cod  Folks"?  Americans 
who  are  freshly  come  over  to  Europe — even  those,  sometimes,  who 
imagine  themselves  the  personification  of  the  New  Idea — are  apt  to- 
strike  one  chiefly  by  a  strange  but  chai'ming  archaism  of  speech, 
manner,  and  mode  of  thought.  The  reiterated  **  Sir*'  is  only  a  relic  of 
byegone  courtesy ;  and,  as  has  been  proved  over  and  over  again,  nine- 
tenths  of  "  Americanisms  "  are  to  be  found  in  Shakespeare.  Thus  we 
have  a  good  right  to  expect,  now  that  folk-lore  is  beginning  to  attract 
serious  notice  across  the  Atlantic,  that  our  knowledge  will  be  enriched 
by  many  valuable  additions  and  corrections. 

Mr.  NewelPs  instalment  is  welcome,  both  on  account  of  the  matter 
contained  and  of  the  agreeable  and  conscientious  way  in  which  it  is 
presented.  Under  the  head  of  "  Introductory"  the  editor  writes  of 
the  characteristics  of  child-nature  with  an  insight  that  shows  him  to 
have  dived  deep  into  its  secrets.  A  child's  imagination  is,  as  he  truly 
says,  infinitely  more  on  the  alert  than  that  of  a  grown-up  person. 
Children,  who  are  destined  to  become  very  ordinary  and  matter-of-fact 
men  and  women,  arc  surrounded  by  a  world  of  gracious  unreality  of 
which  a  few  years  are  enough  to  efi*ace  even  the  memory.  Only  poets 
preserve  through  life  somewhat  of  the  enchanted  castle  of  childhood. 
Then  again,  within  certain   bounds,  children's  powers  of  acquirement 


AMERICAN  SONGS  AND  GAMES.  245 

are  not  inferior  but  superior  to  those  of  their  elders.  The  rapidity 
with  which  they  acquire  languages  is  a  case  in  point.  There  was 
Probably  nothing  phenomenal  in  the  fact  of  John  Stuart  Mill's  reading 
Greek  with  facility  when  he  was  five  years  old,  though,  of  course, 
the  desirability  of  thus  forcing  the  willing  brain  of  infancy  is  another 
question.  Mr.  Newell  mentions  the  elaborate  and  most  difficult 
languages  wliich  children  will  sometimes  make  out  of  their  own  heads. 
The  amusement  is  not  unknown  in  England, — one  instance  of  it  has 
come  under  my  personal  notice ;  but  it  seems  to  be  still  more  in 
favour  in  America,  and  the  examples  cited  of  the  "cat"  and  other 
strange  tongues  are  not  a  little  curious.  With  all  this  astonishing 
mental  activity  how  is  it,  asks  our  author,  that  nevertheless  we  see 
the  same  identical  rhymes  and  games  transmitted,  with  but  few  varia- 
tions, from  furthest  antiquity,  and  diflfused  over  the  face  of  continents  ? 
The  explanation  he  proposes  seems  to  be  a  very  just  one.  By  the  side 
of  the  inventiveness  of  children  has  to  be  reckoned  their  inherent  con- 
servatism. No  new-fangled  toy,  for  instance,  however  perfect  in 
mechanical  ingenuity,  will  ever  give  the  amount  of  pleasure  afforded 
by  the  immemorial  doll.  Mr.  Newell  calls  to  mind  some  early 
allusions  to  that  indispensable  adjunct  to  little-girl  life:  amongst 
others,  the  exquisite  lines  from  the  Greek  anthology  that  refer  to  the 
custom  which  required  of  a  little  girl  who  had  reached  the  years  of 
discretion  (seven  years  is  said  to  have  been  the  all  too-early  term)  to 
offer  her  "  maids,"  as  her  dolls  were  called,  at  the  altar  of  her 
heavenly  patroness,  Athene  or  Artemis,  Diana  or  Venus,  as  the  case 
might  be.  Mr.  Newell  might  have  added  to  his  citations  what  has 
always  struck  me  as  a  rather  pathetic  reference  to  the  antique  doll, 
that;  namely,  of  Plutarch,  who  says,  in  proof  of  the  angelic  goodness 
of  his  short-lived  little  daughter  Timoxena,  "  when  she  was  very 
young  she  would  frequently  beg  of  her  nurse  to  give  the  breast  not 
only  to  other  children  but  to  her  babies  or  dolls,  which  she  considered 
as  her  dependents  and  under  her  protection." 

As  with  toys  so  with  games.  Children  respect  the  ancient  ritual 
out  of  an  almost  superstitious  veneration.  "  The  formulas  of  play 
are  scripture,  of  which  no  jot  or  tittle  is  to  be  repealed."  Thus  it 
happens  that  there  are  incipient  dramas  which,  like  the  first  in  Mr. 


246  AMERICAN  SONGS  AND  GAMES. 

Newell's  collection,  "  the  Knights  of  Spain,"  are  still  acted,  not  only 
throughout  England  and  the  United  States,  but  also  in  Spain  and 
Sweden,  in  Italy  and  Ireland,  among  the  Baltic  Finns  and  the  Moravian 
Sclavs.     The  "  Knights  of  Spain  "  was  originally  based  on  the  idea 
of  a  courtship  conducted  in  the  strictly  mercantile  spirit  which  probably 
pervaded   the   next   stage   of  marriage-making   after    the    primitive 
carrying   off   of  the   bride.      Of  that  earlier  system  there  are  also 
reminiscences  in  some  surviving  games  and  in  many  popular  customs. 
At  Bocking,  in  Essex,  the  parents  of  the  bride  keep  studiously  out 
of  the  way  at  the  time  of  the  marriage  ceremony.     I  remember  the 
surprise,  not  to  say  horror,  of  an  old  gardener,  who  was  asked  why 
he  did  not  attend  his  daughter's  wedding.     "  Such  a  thing  was  never 
heered  of  in  this  here  parish  I  "  said  he ;  by  which  he  meant  among 
people  of  his  own  sort,  for  a  little  higlier  in  the  social  scale  there  is 
no  rule  of  parental  abstention.     A  version  of  the  *'  Knights  of  Spain  " 
was  included  in  the  Bocking  Singing  Games  which  appeared  in  the 
Folh-Lore  Record  (iii.  169);  and  it  is  interesting  to  note  that  four 
other  songs  of  that  small  collection  figure  in  Mr.  Newell's  work.    They 
are:  "  Nuts  in  May,"  "  Thread  the  Tailor's  Needle,"  "  Milking  Pails," 
and  "Jenny  Jones."   It  is  more  than  hazardous  to  endeavour  to  fix  the 
precise  route  followed  by  any  particular  song  in  the  course  of  its 
migrations;  still  it  may  not  be  irrelevant  to  point  out  that  the  very 
steadily  kept-up  intercourse  between  the  English  eastern  counties  and 
America  would  lead  us  to"  expect  the  community  of  traditions  which 
we  thus  find  them  to  possess.     In  the  village  of  Bocking,  at  the 
present  time,  there  is  hardly  a  poor  family  which  has  not  kindred 
settled  in  the  United  States.     Many  went  out  from  this  part  on  the 
fall  of  the  Commonwealth.     A  few  years  back  a  gentleman  wrote 
from   Rhode   Island   to   ask   after   his   ancestors  who  had  lived  in 
Bocking.     A  few  facts  were  brought  to  light  by  diligent  hunting  in 
the  old  registers  and  parish  books:  one  ancestor,  charitably  disposed, 
had  given  sixpence  "  To  the  rescue  of  Englyshe  men  out  of  Turkish 
slaverie."     But  the  most  important  trace  was  not  of  a  wholly  satis- 
factory nature:  a  "comer"  in  the  neighbourhood  where  three  roads 
met  was  discovered  to  be  popularly  called  by  that  gentleman's  not 
common  namc^  and  report  said  that  a  man  was  once  buried  there  with 


AMERICAN  SONGS  AND  GAMES.  247 

a  stave  through  his  body,  having  committed  suicide.     It  is  not  always 
good  to  investigate  the  past  too  closely. 

"  Jenny  Jones  "  in  America  becomes  Miss  Jennia  Jones,  "  Jennia  " 
being  understood  to  be  a  contraction  of  "  Virginia" !  Mr.  Newell  thinks 
that  Jones  was  originally  Jo  (joy,  *'joie"),  an  old  English  word  for 
sweetheart.  He  is  further  of  the  opinion  that  the  song  was  in  the 
first  place  a  love-tale  of  the  kind  of  the  well-known  Venetian 
Bosettna.  Taking  this  view,  there  is  another  southern  love-ballad 
which  seems  to  have  a  sort  of  affinity  with  "  Jenny,"  the  '*Bela  Sabe" 
or  "Belle  Isabelle"  of  the  Mediterranean  coast.  It  will  be  remembered 
that  the  symbolical  sense  of  different  colours  plays  a  chief  part  in  all 
versions  of  "  Jenny  Jones  " ;  one  colour  after  another  is  proposed  but 
rejected  as  unsuitable ;  at  last  black  is  accepted  in  the  English  text 
and  white  in  the  American— white  being  "for  death  "  or  "  for  angels." 
Subjoined  is  a  literal  transcript  of  "  Bela  Sabe  " : 

"  0  SaU,  bela  Sabe, 

To  my  wedding  come  I  pray  I " 
"  At  your  wedding  I'll  not  be 

But  the  dance  I  mean  to  see." 
"  If  the  dance  you  join  to-night, 

Come  attired  all  in  white." 

In  a  robe  of  charming  hue 

The  bela  soon  is  drest ; 

And  if  'tis  good  the  blue, 

For  Hope  the  green  is  best. 

At  the  first  note  of  the  tambour, 

The  bela  joins  the  ball ; 

At  the  next  note  of  the  tamboui*, 

In  death  they  see  her  fall. 
"  0  Sabb,  be/a  Sabb, 

Do  you  die  by  force,  ah,  say?  " 
"  It  is  not  by  force  I  go. 

Love  of  you  has  laid  me  low." 
**  If  for  my  true  love  you  die 

So  for  your  true  love  will  I." 

Then  out  his  knife  he  drew, 

And  his  heart  he  ran  it  through. 

Playing  at  death  and  at  mourning  is  a  very  old  game,  perhaps  one 
of  the  oldest  of  all.  I  have  no  doubt  that  the  little  cliildren  of  Juda\a 
played  at  something  like  "  Jenny  Jones,"  and  that  to  this  refers  tlio 


248  AMERICAN  SONGS  AND  GAMES. 

text  "  children  sitting  in  the  markets,  and  calling  unto  their  fellows, 
and  saying,  *We  have  piped  unto  you  and  ye  have  not  danced;  we 
have  mourned  unto  you  and  ye  have  not  lamented.'  "     (Matthew  xi.) 

In  connection  with  the  mourning  for  Jenny  (which  in  England  is 
signified  by  a  low  wailing  sound,  a  tnie  keening)  Mr.  Newell  mentions 
that  "  in  a  Flemish  town,  a  generation  since,  when  a  young  girl  died, 
her  body  was  carried  to  the  church,  and  thence  to  the  cemetery  by  her 
former  companions."  He  is  probably  not  aware  that  the  same  custom 
prevails  to  this  day  in  several  parts  of  Italy.  The  first  time  I  wit-, 
nessed  the  bearing  of  a  bier  by  women  was  at  Varese;  on  that  occa- 
sion they  were  young  married  women,  the  body  being  that  of  a  young 
mother  who  had  died  in  childbirth.  The  shrill  voices  of  the  mourners 
as  they  chanted  the  litany  for  the  dead,  moving  in  slow  procession  from 
the  lake-shore  to  the  church  of  San  Vittore,  produced  a  strikingly 
touching  effect.  But  it  is  stranger  to  see,  as  I  have  seen  more  recently 
at  Spezia,  the  little  coffin  of  a  child  carried  to  the  grave  entirely  by 
children  of  from  six  to  ten  years  old,  and  followed  also  exclusively  by 
a  string  of  little  ones,  dressed  nicely  in  their  best  frocks,  of  whom  one 
or  two  would  carry  a  bright  posy,  or  a  wreath  of  flowers.  I  could 
never  see  any  older  person  accompanying  the  cortege,  except  one  man 
who  walked  at  a  certain  distance,  it  may  be  to  keep  order;  but  his 
presence  did  not  seem  necessary,  for  the  children  appeared  to  know 
quite  well  what  to  do,  and  performed  their  office  with  great  propriety, 
though  without  any  afiectation  of  particular  sadness.  When  they 
came  back  they  skipped  over  the  strip  of  grass  by  the  new  sea-wall, 
seeing  who  could  pick  the  most  daisies. 

In  the  Gaines  and  Songs  of  American  Children  there  is  so  much  of 
interest  that  I  have  been  obliged  to  limit  myself  to  the  discussion  of  a 
very  few  points.  I  must  however,  in  conclusion,  allude  to  the  especially 
suggestive  remarks  on  the  assignment  of  certain  stated  periods  of  the 
year  to  the  playing  of  certain  games.  Climate  or  other  circumstances 
may  have  originated  the  usage,  but  it  is  adhered  to  with  automatic 
regularity  where  the  cause  has  long  since  disappeared  and  been  for- 
gotten. It  seems  a  case  of  "  hereditary  memory,"  not  perhaps  without 
its  bearings  on  the  migrations  of  birds  and  other  instances  of  animal 
instinct.  Evelyn  Martinengo-Cesaresco. 


TABULATION  OF  FOLK-TALES. 


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NOTES  AND  QUERIES. 

Threading  the  Needle  at  Ripon  Cathedral. — Where  can  I  find  an 
account  of  "the  practice  of  'threading  the  needle'  in  Ripon  Cathe- 
dral," mentioned  in  Captain  Conder's  new  book,  Heth  and  Moab  ? 

Charlotte  S.  Burne. 

Laying  a  Ghost. — I  shall  be  glad  of  information  as  to  the  procedure 
observed  to  successfully  "lay  a  ghost."  What  prayers  (if  any)  were 
used,  and  was  it  indispensable  to  have  a  clergyman  ?  I  have  come 
across  one  case,  at  Burwash,  in  Sussex,  where  four  Puritan  ministers 
held  a  fast,  but  the  further  procedure  is  not  explained.  {Suss.  Arch. 
Coll.  xviii.  Ill  to  113.)  What  is  meant  by  "laying  a  ghost  in  the 
Red  Sea  "  ?  This  is  said  to  have  been  done  in  the  case  of  the  ghost  of 
Mrs.  Segison,  at  Cuckfield  Plate,  Sussex. 

Brighton.  Frederick  E.  Sawyer. 

Folk-Medicine. — The  following,  recorded  in  the  last  issued  part  of 
the  Archaeologia,  is  worth  notice.  In  a  paper  by  Mr.  Edward  Cun- 
nington,  of  Dorchester,  read  March  30,  1882,  an  account  is  given  of  a 
hoard  of  bronze,  iron,  and  other  objects  that  have  recently  been  dis- 
covered at  Belbury  Camp,  in  Dorsetshire.  Two  of  the  bronze  objects 
represented  animal  foims,  probably  oxen.  After  they  were  found,  as 
is  but  too  common  in  such  cases,  they  became  dispersed.  Mr. 
Cunnington  says: — "Having  heard  of  the  discovery,  I  paid  a  visit  to 
the  old  woman,  who  was  reported  to  possess  several  of  the  objects.  On 
inquiring  of  her  for  them,  she  told  me  that  she  '  hadn't  a'  got  'em.' 
On  my  asking  what  had  become  of  them,  she  said  *  Well,  there !  I  was 
obliged  to  send  'em  to  my  poor  boy,  for  he  was  ter'ble  bad,  and  did 
sort  o'  pine  for  'em  ;  and  a'  thought  if  a'  could  have  thic  there  little 
dog,  and  nail  un  up  over  the  door,  a'  would  be  better.'  I  then  went  to 
the  son's  house,  where  I  duly  found  the  animal  nailed  over  the  door." 
— Archaeologia,  vol.  xlviii.  p.  117.  Edward  Peacock. 

Scottish  Folk-lore. — In  the  recent  book  of  Her  Majesty,  More 


254  NOTES  AND  QUERIES. 

Leaves  from  the  Journal  of  a  Life  in  the  Highlands^  I  find  the 
following  scraps  of  folk-lore : — 

P.  197:  "  Brown  ....  espied  a  piec3  of  white  heather,  and  jumped 
oflf  to  pick  it.  No  Highlander  would  pass  by  it  without  picking  it, 
for  it  is  considered  to  bring  good  luck." 

P.  281 :  "  Two  little  girls  put  down  bunches  of  flax  for  me  to  walk 
upon,  which  it  seems  is  an  old  Highland  custom." 

On  the  latter  subject  I  should  be  glad  of  some  further  information. 
What  is  the  origin  of  the  custom?  Frederick  E.  Sawyer. 

Brighton. 

Superstition  in  Sicily. — A  Naples  correspondent  writes:  "In  the 
province  of  Catania  (Sicily),  the  festival  of  San  Filippo,  the  patron 
saint  of  Calatabiano,  is  celebrated  in  a  strangely  superstitious  manner. 
The  ignorant  population  of  that  district  believe  that  San  Filippo  had 
the  power  of  restoring  to  health  all  those  afflicted  with  epilepsy, 
insanity,  or  other  nervous  maladies.  On  the  day  of  the  festival  such 
afflicted  persons  from  all  the  country  around  are  brought  by  their  rela- 
tions to  be  cured  instantaneously  at  the  church  of  Calatabiano.  On 
arriving  they  are  seized  by  robust  peasants,  who  attempt  to  make  them 
kiss  the  image  of  the  saint,  and  cry  **  Viva  San  Filippo  !  "  Some 
struggle  furiously  in  the  hands  of  their  captors,  who  then  resort  to  the 
most  savage  means  of  compulsion,  tearing  off  their  clothes,  pulling 
their  haur,  and  even  biting  them,  continuing  the  torture  throughout 
the  day,  until  the  victims  pronounce  the  sacramental  words.  This 
year  the  same  scene  was  repeated,  but  was  soon  put  a  stop  to  by  a 
police- constnble,  who  in  the  name  of  the  law  arrested  all  who  refused 
to  renounce  the  barbarous  custom. — Rotherham  Advertiser^  7  June, 
1884. 

Hearne's  opinion  of  John  Aubrey.— The  late  Mr.  John  Aubrey, 
who  began  the  study  of  antiquities  very  early  when  he  was  gentleman 
commoner  of  Trinity  College  in  Oxford,  and  had  no  inconsiderable 

skill  in  them ; and  the  world  might  have  expected  other 

curious  and  useful  notices  of  things  from  him had  not 

he  by  his  intimate  acquaintance  with  Mr.  Ashmole  in  his  latter  years 
too  much  indulged  in  fancy  and  wholly  addicted  himself  to  the 
whimseys   and   conceits   of   astrologers,    soothsayers,   and    such   like 


NOTICES  AND  NEWS.  255 

ignorant  and  superstitious  writers,  which  have  no  foundation  in  nature, 
philosophy,  or  reason. — Hearne  in  LelancTs  Itinerary,  ii.  93. 

Alice  B.  Gomme. 
Witchcraft  in  France.— A  woman  of  Thueyts,  in  the  Ardeche, 
had  taken  in  a  child  to  wet  nurse,  when  her  milk  suddenly  failed  her. 
She  imagined  that  she  had  been  bewitched  by  an  old  woman  of  eighty 
in  the  neighbourhood,  and  had  her  brought  to  the  house  by  her  husband. 
The  man  suspended  the  unfortunate  creature  by  the  pot-hook  in  tlic 
chimney,  and  roasted  her  feet,  and  as  this  treatment  did  not  produce 
a  fresh  flow  of  milk  for  the  child,  the  peasant  and  his  wife  put  the  old 
woman's  feet  into  an  iron  pot  filled  with  water  which  was  made  to 
hoil—Shefield  Telegraph,  July  10th,  1884. 


NOTICES  AND  NEWS. 

In  the  Land  of  Marvels:  Folk- Tales  from  Austria  and  Bohemia.  By 
Theodor  Vernaleken.  With  Preface  by  E.  Johnson.  London, 
1884  (Swan  Sonnenschein),  8vo.  pp.  363. 

There  can  be  no  question  but  that  this  collection  of  Folk-tales  is  a 
welcome  and  valuable  volume,  and  the  publishers  are  to  be  praised  for 
the  agreeable  form  in  which  this  translation  is  presented.  Mr.  John- 
son's preface,  though  travelling  over  ground  well  known  to  members 
of  this  Society,  has  something  of  value  to  say  as  to  the  origin  of 
miirchen,  or  folk-tales,  and  his  brief  summary  of  objections  to  the 
"  sun  and  dawn  "  theory  is  admirable.  The  notes,  too,  at  the  end  of 
the  volume,  though  of  course  they  could  be  easily  amplified,  are  good 
and  thoroughly  to  the  point.  The  stories  are  variants  of  old  favourites, 
but  variants  which  we  are  glad  to  get  because  they  contain  their  own 
local  colouring  which  must  lend  its  aid  towards  the  elucidation  of  the 
history  of  folk-tales.  The  story  list  is  as  follows  :  Hondiddledo  and 
his  fiddle — Wintcrkolble — Kruzimiigeli — The  blackbird — The  seven 
ravens  —  The  dog  and  the  yellowliammer  —  The  three  wondrous 
fishes — The  marvellous  white  horse — The  dog  and  the  wolf ^  The 
nine  birds — The  wishing  rag,  the  golden  goat,  and  the  hat  soldiers— 
Martin's   Eve — The  little  tailor — The  tailor  and   the   hunter— The 


256  NOTICES  AND  NEWS. 

thirteen  brothers — Stupid  Peter — The  magic  pot  and  the  magic  ball — 
The  shepherd  and  the  dwarfs — How  a  shepherd  became  rich — The 
three  boxes — For  one  krenzer  a  hundred — The  goat  and  the  ant — 
The  wild  cat  of  the  forest — The  stolen  princess — The  wonderful 
deliverance  —  Tlie  outcast  son  —  The  two  sisters  —  Moriandle  and 
Sugarkandle — The  three  eggs — The  wondrous  tree — The  seven  roes — 
The  dwarf  delivered  —  Besom-cast,  Brush-cast,  Comb-cast  —  The 
sounding  tree — The  cobbler's  two  sons — One  strikes  twelve,  twelve 
strike  nine-and-forty — Hans  guesses  riddles — The  three  millers — The 
three  tasks — Piping  Hans — Mr.  Cluck — Hans  with  the  goitre — The 
king  does  not  believe  everything — The  present  of  the  wind — The 
fisher's  son — The  Judas  she-devil — The  three  white  doves— The 
maiden  of  the  crystal  mountain — How  Hans  finds  his  wife — The 
drummer — The  fairest  bride — The  accursed  garden  The  enchanted 
sleep — The  three  princesses —The  suitor  —  The  mouth-cure — The 
bead-merchant — They  dance  to  the  pipe — The  hopping  night-cap— 
Sepple  with  the  golden  hair. 

Captain  R.  C.  Temple  will  publish  shortly  a  Dictionary  of  Hindu- 
stani Proverbs,  including  many  Marwari,  Panjabi,  Maggah,  Bhojpuri, 
and  Tirhuti  Proverbs,  by  the  late  S.  W.  Fallon,  Ph.D.,  Halle. 
"  Dr.  Fallon's  collection  of  proverbs  ....  will  be  of  immense  use  to 
European  officials,  as  teaching  them  the  real  people's  speech  and 
opening  up  to  them  the  hitherto  sealed  book  of  the  native  mind.  If 
a  young  civilian  had  such  a  collection  put  before  him  on  his  ai-rival 
here,  instead  of  the  nauseous  rubbish  of  the  Prem  Sagar  and  Bag-o- 
Bahar,  he  would  come  to  know  as  much  about  the  language  in  a  year 
as  is  now  ordinarily  known  even  by  the  best  scholars  in  ten  or  fifteen 
years." — John  Beames.  It  is  expected  that  the  work  will  be  com- 
pleted in  five  parts,  to  appear  as  nearly  as  possible  at  intervals  of  two 
months.    Triibner  &  Co.  are  the  London  agents. 

Mr.  Swainson  has  sent  in  his  MS.  of  the  "  Folk-lore  and  Provincial 
Names  of  British  Birds." 

A  MS.  collection  of  Herefordshire  Folk-lore,  by  the  late  Reverend 
Mr.  Kilveet,  has  just  been  sent  to  the  Honorary  Secretary  through 
the  kindness  of  Mr.  William  Henderson. 


CONNEMARA  FOLK-LORE. 

Child-Birth. 

|HILE  the  woman  is  sick  no  stranger  must  take  anything 
out  of  the  house,  especially  a  coal  of  fire,  or  the  woman 
will  die  or  become  a  cripple,  or  meet  with  some  other 
great  affliction.  Beggars  and  others  coming  to  the  house 
for  anything  are  at  once  sent  away:  they  would  not  have  come  to 
the  place  if  they  knew  that  a  woman  was  sick.  The  child,  the 
moment  it  is  bom,  is  spit  on  by  the  midwife.  It  should  be  christened 
the  first  mass  after  it  is  born,  and  should  be  called  after  the  name  of 
the  saint  whose  day  is  nearest  to  its  birth.  As  there  are  two  Lady's 
days  in  the  year,  more  girls  are  called  Mary  than  any  other  name  ; 
while,  as  Michaels  are  so  numerous,  more  boys  seem  to  be  born  near 
his  day  than  in  any  other  time  of  the  year.  If  boys  are  bom  near  a 
doable  saint's  day,  such  as  St.  Peter's  and  Saint  Paul's,  they  should 
have  both  names,  except  in  the  case  of  twins,  when  one  should  be 
called  Peter  and  the  other  Paul.  I  do  not  know  how  they  manage 
in  other  cases  of  twins.  If  a  child  just  bom  sneezes  it  will  live  ;  if  it 
has  a  caul  the  latter  is  a  charm  against  a  number  of  diseases.  Any  one 
coming  to  see  the  child  should  bring  a  present,  usually  an  egg  or  a 
pat  of  butter  or  some  such  trifle,  and  should  say,  "  God  save  you  I "  and 
spit  on  it.  Those  who  do  not  do  so  bring  it  bad  luck.  If  born  at 
midnight  it  ought  to  be  sprinkled  with  holy  water  every  night  and 
watched  for  seven  days,  lest  it  may  be  changed  by  the  "  good  people." 
If  a  child  is  an  idiot,  especially  if  a  boy,  it  brings  good  luck.  Many 
instances  are  given  of  people  being  quite  poor  before  an  idiot  came, 
while  afterwards  they  became  suddenly  rich.  Three  children  at  a 
birth  bring  luck. 

Churning. 
No  stranger  should  take  anything  out  of  a  house,  but  especially 
fire,  while  milk  is  being  churned,  as  they  will  take  away  the  butter. 
Vol.  2.— Part  9.  s 


258  CONNEMARA  FOLK-LORE. 

Any  stranger  coming  into  the  house  while  churning  is  going  on 
should  say,  '*  Bless  the  work!  "  and  take  a  few  turns  at  tlie  dash.  If 
the  butter  will  not  come  you  should  put  a  hot  ploughshare  or  a  hot 
tongs  or  a  coal  of  fire  under  the  churn.  There  seems  sense  in  this,  as 
the  heat  will  help  to  make  the  butter  come.  Some  people  are  able  to 
take  away  your  butter  by  churning  water  while  you  are  churning  your 
milk ;  also  by  carrying  away  fire  out  of  the  house  or  by  certain 
charms.  Difi*erent  people  are  said  to  have  charms  for  taking  it  away; 
but  no  one  allows  they  know  what  they  are;  that  they  have  charms 
is  proved  by  their  always  having  more  butter  than  their  neighbours, 
although  they  have  fewer  cows. 

Hares. 
When  going  out  of  a  morning,  if  a  hare  is  coming  to  meet  you, 
turn  back  at  once,  as  you  will  fail  in  what  you  were  going  to  do.  If 
he  crosses  your  path  from  the  right,  you  will  have  luck ;  if  from  the 
left,  you  will  be  neither  lucky  nor  unlucky.  If  a  hare  scares  an 
enceinte  woman  the  child  will  have  a  hare-lip.  Hares  are  often 
witches,  and  milk  the  cows  and  such  like.  A  hare  that  is  always 
about  a  house  is  sure  to  be  a  witch,  and  ought  to  be  destroyed  if 
possible.  A  dog  cannot  catch  a  witch  hare,  which  is  often  a  white 
one. 

Magpie  and  Cuckoo. 
It  is  unlucky  to  kill  ar  magpie  or  rob  its  nest :  because  if  either  are 
done  they  will  kill  all  your  chickens  and  geese.  Magpies  are  useful 
in  a  wild  country,  as  they  give  you  warning  when  the  fox  is  afoot 
after  the  lambs,  kids,  or  fowl.  I  have  seen  people  abused,  and  even 
pelted,  for  shooting  a  magpie  at  a  village.  The  cuckoo  is  also  a 
sacred  bird,  it  is  very  unlucky  to  shoot  one. 

An  ancient  Irish  Saying. 
"  Ireland  was  thrice  beneath  the  ploughshare ;  thrice  it  was  wood, 
and  thrice  it  was  bare  "  (O'Flaherty,  Yar  Connaught).  Evidently  it 
was  twice  under  wood,  as  we  have  records  in  the  bog  of  two  distinct 
forests ;  while  in  history  we  read  of  later  woods  that  were  cut  down 
after  the  time  of  James  I.  by  the  English  adventurers. 


r 


CONNEMARA  FOLK-LORE.  259 

King  of  the  Otters, 

mentioned  by  0' Flaherty  in  his  History  of  Yar  Connaughtj  "  of  which 
kind  the  white-faced  otter  is  very  rare.  It  is  never  killed,  they  say, 
but  with  the  loss  of  man  or  dog  ;  and  its  skin  is  mighty  precious." 
It  is  larger  than  ordinary,  and  has  a  white  breast  :  it  is  called  the 
king  of  the  otters.  A  great  virtue  of  its  skin  is  that  the  owner  is 
always  fortunate  in  battles,  and  victory  is  always  on  his  side. 

Fish  not  Flesh. 

The  sea-birds,  such  as  the  guillemot,  which  never  flies  over  the 
land,  but  lives  altogether  in  the  cliffs  or  on  the  sea,  is  considered  to 
be  a  fish  and  not  a  fowl,  and  is  eaten  on  fast  days. 

Seals. 
In  very  ancient  times  some  of  the  Clan  Coneely,  one  of  the  early 
septs  of  the  county,  were  changed  by  "  art  magick  "  into  seals  ;  since 
then  no  Coneely  can  kill  a  seal  without  afterwards  having  bad  luck. 
Seals  are  called  Coneelys,  and  on  this  account  many  of  the  name 
changed  it  to  Connelly. 

Rats,  called  French  Mice. 

It  is  said  that  at  one  time  there  were  none  in  Ireland.  O'Flaherty, 
in  his  History  of  Yar  Connaught,  written  in  1684,  says  there  are  no 
rats  in  it. 

Captive  Stone. 

On  the  shore  of  MacDara's  island  there  is  a  stone  called  the 
"  Captive's  Stone,"  where,  until  very  lately,  women  during  low  water 
gathered  ililuk.  This  was  supposed  to  gain  the  intercession  of  the 
saint  for  a  friend  in  captivity.  MacDara  is  the  patron  saint  of  the 
sailor,  and  sailors  when  passing  the  island  always  dip  their  sails  thrice, 
if  not  they  arc  sure  to  be  shipwrecked. 

St.  MacDara's  real  name  was  Sinach,  a  fox.  Of  his  name  Hardi- 
man  thus  writes  : — **It  is  a  curious  coincidence  that  the  name  of  this 
favourite  saint  of  our  western  fishermen  should  be  that  of  an  animal 
which,  of  all  others,  they  most  abhor.  So  great  is  their  aversion  to  a  fox, 

s2 


260  CONNEMARA  FOLK-LORE. 

hare,  or  rabbit,  that  they  never  so  much  as  mention  their  names  them- 
selves nor  endure  even  to  hear  them  named  by  others.  If  a  fisherman 
of  Claddagh  happened  to  see  one  of  these  animals  or  hear  its  name 
mentioned  he  would  not  on  that  day  venture  to  sea  :  and  the  cause  of 
this  strange  superstition  they  neither  know  themselves  nor  can  any 
one  else  account  for  it."  A  butcher  of  Galway  is  said  to  have  taken 
advantage  of  it,  and  had  a  fox  carried  through  Claddagh  every 
Friday,  thus  preventing  the  men  going  to  sea  that  day,  and  thereby 
kept  up  the  price  of  meat  on  the  Saturday  market. 

Raising  the  Wind. 

If  you  want  a  fair  wind  bury  a  cat  to  its  neck  in  the  sand  on  the 
sea-shore,  turning  its  face  to  the  point  from  which  the  adverse  wind 
blows,  and  leave  it  there  to  die.  Or,  erect  a  pile  of  stones  on  the 
shore,  bearing  a  resemblance  to  one  of  the  goblins,  and  expect  a  fair 
wind  in  return  ;  but  this  is  a  serious  affair,  and  never  can  be  done 
by  the  same  individual  twice. — Hardiman's  Notes  to  0' Flaherty' s 
History. 

Wells. 
Wells  dedicated  to  saints  are  held  in  great  veneration,  and  patrons 
are  held  at  them  on  their  saint  day.  Some  are  good  for  the  eyes, 
some  for  sores,  and  some  for  various  ailments,  even  for  sterile  women 
and  cattle.  St.  Patrick's.  Well,  in  Maumean,  cures  murrain  in  cattle, 
while  a  well  on  Bendouglas  or  Benlettery  makes  a  person's  head  hoar 
if  they  wash  in  it.  Some  are  evidently  pre-Christian  :  one  on 
Cashla  Bay  has  a  large  conical  mound  or  kitchen-midden,  over  fifty 
feet  high,  made  up  of  sea-shells;  as  part  of  the  obligation  is  to  live 
on  shell-fish  while  attending  the  patron — which  are  cooked  on  the 
top  of  the  mound. 

Stonb  Celts, 

called  soigheds,  or  "  fairy  darts,"  are  used  by  the  "  good  people," 
and  any  one  that  is  "  fairy  struck"  has  been  hit  with  one  of  them. 
If  you  find  one,  either  on  the  ground  or  in  the  tillage,  you  should  not 
bring  it  into  the  house,  or  bury  it,  or  throw  it  away,  but  you  should 


CONNEMARA  FOLK-LORE.  261 

put  it  carefully  in  a  hole  in  the  field  wall,  or  ditch,  or  in  a  tree,  where 
it  will  not  bo  easily  found,  otherwise  something  will  happen  to  you. 
Aranmore  is  a  great  place  for  soigheds,  and  they  are  greatly  vene- 
rated, although  many  of  them  apparently  are  of  recent  make.  Seals, 
when  they  were  plentiful  along  the  west  coast,  were  an  article  of  food, 
as  we  learn  from  the  Book  of  Lismore,  and  other  authorities. 
The  Aranites  and  inhabitants  of  some  of  the  other  Galway  islands 
wear  pampootcrs,  which  are  slippers,  now  made  of  the  raw  hides  of 
the  ass,  calf,  and  cow,  but  formerly  of  the  seal  skin;  and  the  celts 
made  on  Aran,  of  a  black  silicious  shale,  were  used  for  skinning  them 
— even  at  the  present  day  I  have  seen  them  used  while  skinning  a 
calf.  The  Aranites  very  often  carry  a  soighed  with  them  when  they 
are  going  to  a  patron  on  the  mainland,  and  leave  it  behind  them  at 
the  holy  well  as  a  votive  offering.  Pampootie,  as  a  name  for  the 
slipper,  is  said  to  have  been  introduced  some  two  or  more  hundred 
years  ago  by  an  East  Indian  ship-captain,  who  settled  on  the  island — 
the  old  Irish  name  is  brog-le-har — Anglice^  coarse  shoe  of  fresh  or 
untanned  leather. 

St.  Flanning's  Church. 
In  Errisflanning  are  the  ruins  of  St.  Flanning  church  and  a  grave- 
yard— "  This  church  admits  of  no  burial  within  its  walls";  that  is,  if 
any  one  is  interred  therein  his  body  is  found  above  ground  next 
morning.  This  is  also  a  common  belief  elsewhere.  In  the  grave- 
yard of  Ballytober  abbey,  co.  Mayo,  there  is  a  space  no  one  would 
bury  in,  as  "  their  body  would  be  cast  up." 

Lizard  and  Cricket. 
The  lizard  is  a  vicious  animal,  always  trying  to  get  down  people's 
throats  ;  it  will  even  try  to  steal  into  houses  where  children  are  that 
it  may  get  down  their  throats.  A  cricket  ought  not  to  be  disturbed 
or  killed.  If  either  is  done,  its  fellows  will  come  and  eat  the  clothes, 
especially  of  the  person  who  injured  the  cricket. 

The  Fairy  Mound,  Glendalouqh. 
On  the  south  side  of  Gorumna  Lough,  Connemara,  there  is  a  large 
moat  or  barrow,  said  to  be  inhabited  by  the  "  good  people."     In  the 


262  CONNEMARA  FOLK-LORE. 

centre  of  the  top  there  is  a  green  spot,  said  to  be  the  entrance  to  it, 
on  which  the  natives  would  be  afraid  to  stand.  About  fifteen  years 
ago  there  was  a  man  in  the  village  had  a  cow  and  a  newly-born  calf, 
and  the  cow  died.  But  after  it  was  dead,  cut  up,  and  salted,  at  night 
they  used  to  hear  a  cow  in  the  barn,  while  the  calf  throve  well, 
although  it  would  take  no  food  that  was  offered  it.  At  first  every  one 
was  afraid  to  go  near  the  cowhouse  at  night  to  see  what  was  going 
on ;  but  at  last  the  man  took  courage  and  went,  and  to  his  great 
astonishment  he  found  his  cow  alive  and  suckling  the  calf.  When  it 
saw  him  it  tried  to  rush  out  of  the  door ;  but  as  it  passed  he  seized  it 
by  the  tail,  and  was  pulled  by  it  to  the  fairy  mound  and  into  a 
brightly  lit-up  room,  in  which  were  assembled  the  queen  and  her  court. 
The  queen  asked,  "  What  do  you  want  ? "  To  which  he  answered, 
"  In  the  name  of  God,  my  cow."  To  which  she  replied,  "  Take  it," 
and  the  cow  immediately  went  with  him,  the  name  of  God  destroying 
the  spell.  My  informant,  one  of  the  innumerable  Joyces,  offered  to 
swear  he  had  seen  the  cow  alive;  afterwards  dead,  cut  up,  and  salted, 
and  had  even  eaten  part  of  it,  yet  afterwards  he  saw  it  alive.  A  rag 
tied  round  the  tail  of  a  newly-calved  cow  keeps  away  the  fairies. 

On  the  east  of  Lough  Corrib,  near  Castle  Hackett,  is  Knockmaa, 
or  the  hill  of  the  plain,  which  is  a  great  fairy  haunt;  and  at  times  of 
an  evening  great  flights  of  the  "  good  people  "  pass  over  Connemara 
to  the  gathering  at  it.  When  they  are  passing  is  easily  known,  as  you 
feel  a  rush  of  warm  wind  passing  you,  accompanied  by  a  rustling 
noise.  Fairies  should  always  be  called  "  good  people,"  as  fairies  is  a 
term  of  disrespect.  When  throwing  water  out  of  a  door  you  must  say, 
"  By  your  leave,"  lest  one  of  the  "  good  people"  was  outside,  and  you 
might  chance  to  wet  it.  A  lighted  coal  of  turf,  carried  on  a  stick  or 
in  a  tongs,  after  dark,  keeps  away  the  fairies. 

Giants. 
The  highest  group  of  hills  in  Connemara,  or  the  Twelve  Pins  or 
Stacks,  are  called  Bennabeola,  after  a  giant  of  that  name.  Beola 
seems  to  have  been  a  person  of  importance,  as  Great  Man's  Bay  is 
said  to  be  also  called  after  him,  and  his  earn  was  at  Toombeola,  but 
was  taken  away  by  the  monks  to  build  an  abbey;  and  the  latter  was 


CONNEMARA  FOLK-LORE.  263 

pulled  down  by  the  "cruelty  to  animal  Martin"  to  build  a  salmon 
weir. 

Beola  had  a  great  friend,  a  giant,  on  Aranmore,  and  every  morning 
at  sunrise  they  saluted  one  another.  One  morning,  however,  Beola 
overslept  himself,  and  his  friend  threw  a  stone  at  him  to  wake  him, 
which  so  enraged  Beola  that  he  hurled  a  shower  of  stones  at  him, 
which  fully  accounts  for  the  number  of  large  Connemara  granite 
blocks  on  Aranmore.  The  Aranmore  giant  had  a  numerous  family, 
who  took  to  using  these  stones  as  seats,  which  fully  accounts  for  the 
pedestal  of  limestone  under  each  block,  as  their  feet  wore  away  the 
rock  around  each  block. 

About  halfway  between  Corcogemore  and  Slieve  Moidaun  is  a  large 
long  block  of  rock,  standing  on  end,  called  Clogh-na-Curreel,  or  the 
stone  of  Curreel.  Its  size  may  be  judged  by  its  being  easily  mistaken 
for  an  old  castle,  until  you  are  quite  close  to  it.  Curreel  and  Moidaun 
were  great  friends,  but  one  day  the  latter,  when  on  a  visit  to  Curreel 
at  Corcogemore,  ran  off  with  his  wife.  Curreel,  who  was  asleep,  woke 
up,  and  missed  the  wife  and  Moidaun;  but,  on  looking  across  the  plain, 
he  saw  them  making  off  to  Slieve  Moidaun,  whereupon  he  seized  up  the 
stone  he  used  for  his  pillow  and  hurled  it  after  them.  The  truth  of 
the  story  is  evident,  as  the  marks  of  his  five  fingers  and  thumb  can  be 
seen  under  the  south-east  coiiier  of  the  stone.  It  may  here  be  observed 
that  in  the  co.  Donegal  the  giants  are  all  said  to  have  had  five  fingers 
besides  the  thumb;  but  on  the  three  "giants'  stones"  that  I  have 
seen  in  that  county  there  are  seven  impressions  instead  of  six. 

A  giant  whose  name  is  now  forgotten  lived  at  Leam.  He  was 
famous  for  his  great  feats  of  strength.  One  day  the  devil  came  and 
challenged  him  to  show  his  power.  After  various  trials,  in  which  they 
were  both  equal,  the  giant  proposed  that  they  should  jump  over  a  wide 
chasm  with  his  pillow  on  his  back,  the  pillow  being  a  stone  about  six 
feet  long.  One  side  of  the  chasm  was  higher  than  the  other,  and 
both  succeeded  in  jumping  down;  but  after  the  giant  had  jumped  up, 
just  as  the  devil  was  springing  off,  the  giant  tripped  him  up,  and  he 
fell  into  the  chasm,  hurting  his  back.  The  stone  stuck  up  in  the  bog, 
and  was  there  until  some  years  ago,  when  it  was  stolen  by  a  mining 
captain  who  was  working  at  the  Glengoala  mine.     The  place,  after  the 


264  CONNEMARA  FOLK-LORE. 

jumping  feat,  was  called  Learn  (a  leap);  while  it  is  said  the  marks  of 
the  giant's  hands  and  the  devil's  paws  were  to  be  seen  on  one  side  of 
the  stone,  impressed  while  holding  it  on  their  backs. 

Ancient  Irish  Games. 

There  are  old  Irish  games  very  like  acftalpa,  or  game  of  ball,  men- 
tioned in  the  Folk-Lore  Journal  of  February,  1884,  page  59. 

There  are  three  or  more  players  on  each  side,  two  stones  or  holes 
as  stations,  and  one  lobber.  The  lobber  lobs  either  a  stick  about  three 
inches  long  or  a  ball — (the  ball  seems  to  be  a  new  institution,  as  a 
stick  was  always  used  when  I  was  a  boy)— while  the  batsman  defends 
the  stone  or  hole  with  either  a  short  stick  or  his  hand.  Every  time 
the  stick  or  ball  is  hit,  the  boys  defending  the  stones  or  holes  must 
change  places.  Each  one  is  out  if  the  stick  or  ball  lodges  in  the  hole 
or  hits  the  stone ;  or  if  the  ball  or  stone  is  caught ;  or  if  it  can  be 
put  in  the  hole  or  hits  the  stone  while  the  boys  are  changing  places. 
This  game  is  also  played  with  two  lobbers,  that  lob  alternately  from 
each  end.     The  game  is  won  by  a  certain  number  of  runs. 

This  game  is  sometimes  called  cat ;  but  the  regular  cat  is  played 
with  a  stick  four  inches  long,  bevelled  at  each  end,  called  the  cat. 
This  bevelled  stick  is  laid  on  the  ground,  and  one  end  hit  with  a  stick 
to  make  it  rise  in  the  air,  when  it  is  hit  by  the  player,  who  runs  to  a 
mark  and  back  to  his  station.  The  game  is  made  by  a  number  of 
runs  ;  while  the  hitter  is  out  if  he  fails  three  times  to  hit  the  cat,  or 
if  he  is  hit  by  the  cat  while  running. 

Another  form  of  the  first  game  is  a  circle  of  stones,  according  to 
the  number  of  players,  generally  five  or  seven  each  side.  One  of  the 
out  party  stands  in  the  centre  of  the  circle,  and  lobs  at  the  diflferent 
stones  in  rotation ;  each  hit  a  player  gives  all  his  side  must  change 
stations,  in  some  places  going  round  to  the  left  and  in  others  to  the 
right.  The  stones  are  defended  by  the  hand  or  a  stick,  according  as 
a  ball  or  stick  is  lobbed.  All  the  players  are  out  if  the  stone  is  hit, 
or  the  ball  or  stick  caught,  or  one  of  the  players  is  hit  while  running. 
In  different  counties  or  places  these  games  are  more  or  less  modified. 

These  games  I  have  seen  played  over  half  a  century  ago,  with  a  lob- 
f.tick,  but  of  later  years  with  a  ball,  long  before  a  cricket-club  existed, 


CONNEMARA  FOLK-LORE.  265 

in  Trinity  College,  Dublin,  and  when  the  game  was  quite  unknown  in 
a  great  part  of  Ireland.  At  the  same  time,  they  may  have  been 
introduced  by  some  of  the  earlier  settlers,  and  afterwards  degene- 
rated into  the  games  mentioned  above ;  but  I  would  be  inclined  to 
suspect  that  the  Irish  are  the  primitive  games,  they  having  since  been 
improved  into  cricket.  At  the  present  day  these  games  nearly  every- 
where are  succeeded  by  cricket,  but  often  of  a  very  primitive  form, 
the  wickets  being  stones  set  on  end,  or  a  pillar  of  stones  ;  while  the 
ball  is  often  wooden,  and  very  rudely  foraied. 

An  old  game  called  Croohj  was  formerly  played  at  Portarlington, 
Queen's  co.  and  Kilkee,  co.  Clare.  Fifty  years  ago  it  was  played 
with  wooden  crooks  and  balls,  but  about  twenty-five  years  ago,  or  a 
little  more,  mallets  were  introduced  at  Kilkee ;  while  subsequently 
the  name  was  changed  to  croquet.  I  have  heard  it  stated  that  this 
game  was  introduced  by  the  French  refugees  that  settled  at  Port- 
arlington. 

Another  old  Irish  game  was  Duck-stone.  A  number  of  stones,  one 
less  than  the  number  of  players,  were  placed  close  together  in  a  row  ; 
one  player  was  told  off  to  guard  the  stones  on  which  smaller  stones 
were  placed.  All  of  the  players,  except  the  guard,  stood  in  a  place 
about  twelve  or  fifteen  feet  from  the  row  of  stones,  and  with  their 
duck  (stones)  tried  to  knock  off  the  smaller  stones,  which  the  guard 
had  to  replace  as  fast  as  possible,  because  if  any  of  the  small  stones  were 
off  the  duck-holders  could  carry  in  their  ducks  ;  but  if  all  the  stones 
were  on,  if  one  of  the  duck-holders  tried  to  carry  in  his  duck  and  he 
was  tipped  by  the  guard,  he  had  to  take  the  guard's  place,  who  joined 
the  duck-holders. 

Hurl  was  a  very  ancient  Irish  game,  as  we  have  many  places  called 
after  it :  such  as,  Killahurla,  the  hurlers'  church ;  Gortnahurla,  the 
field  of  the  hurlers  ;  Greenanahurla,  the  sunny  place  of  the  hurlers; 
this,  however,  is  now  generally  corrupted  into  hurling-green.  The 
hurling-green  where  the  famous  match  was  played  by  the  people  of 
Wexford  against  those  of  Cather  (now  divided  into  the  counties  of 
Carlow  and  Wicklow),  and  where  the  former  got  the  name  of  yellow 
bellies  from  the  colour  of  the  scarfs  they  wore  round  their  waist,  is  a 
sunny  flat  on  the  western  side  of  North  "Wicklow  Gap,  on  the  road 


266  THE  FOLK-LORE  OF  DRAYTON. 

from  Gorey  to  Trinnahely.     There  are  also  many  other  diflferent  names 
that  record  the  game. 

Jack-stones,  played  with  three  or  fom-  small  stones  that  are  thrown 
up  in  the  air  and  caught  again,  seems  to  have  been  a  very  ancient 
game,  as  the  stones  have  been  found  in  the  crannogs  or  lake-dwellings 
in  some  hole  near  the  fire-places,  similar  to  where  they  are  found  in  a 
cabin  at  the  present  day.  An  old  woman,  or  other  player,  at  the 
present  time,  puts  them  in  a  place  near  the  hob,  when  they  stop  their 
game,  and  go  to  do  something  else.  G.  H.  Kinahan. 


THE  FOLK-LORE  OF  DRAYTON. 

PART  II. — Minerals — Animals — Portents. — (Contimied  from 
page  235.) 

"  The  charitable  robinet  in  came, 
Whose  nature  taught  the  others  to  be  tame." 

Its  work  of  love,  everybody  knows,  on  the  evidence  of  the  Babes  in 
the  Wood,  is  that  of  burying  the  dead : 

"  Coveriiig  with  moss  the  dead's  unclosed  eye, 
The  little  Redbreast  teacheth  charity," 

as  Drayton  says  elsewhere.*     I  have  a  secondhand  quotation f  from  a 
play  of  Webster,  who  was  for  some  years  his  contemporary: 

"  Call  for  the  robin  and  the  wren, 
Since  o'er  shady  groves  they  hover, 
And  with  dead  leaves  do  cover 
The  friendless  bodies  of  unburied  men." 


•  The  07vl  [iv.  1291]. 

t  From  "  English  Ballads,"  an  article  in  an  Aunt  Jvdy's  Magazine  of  un- 
remembcred  date. 


THE  FOLK-LOEE  OF  DRAYTON.  26V 

A  few  years  later  Robert  Herrick  wrote :  * 

"  When  I  departed  am  ring  thou  my  knell, 
Thou  pittifuU  and  pretty  Philomel ; 
And  when  I'm  laid  out  for  a  corse,  then  he 
Thou  sexton.  Red  brcst,  for  to  coA-er  me." 

I  may  be  pardoned  for  repeating  his  prayer  to  Robin :  f 

"  Laid  out  for  dead,  let  thy  last  kindnesse  be 
With  leaves  and  mosse-work  for  to  cover  me; 
And  while  the  wood  nimphs  my  cold  corps  inter, 
Sing  thou  my  dirge,  sweet  warbling  chorister. 
For  epitaph  in  foliagCj  next  write  this, 
Here,  here  the  tomb  of  Robin  Herrick  is." 

In  Webster's  lines,  and  in  many  a  popular  rhyme,  the  robin  and  the 

wren  are  coupled  as  though  they  were  natural  helpmates  ;  and  with 

equal  disregard  of  propriety  Drayton  J  talks  of — 

"  The  gaudy  Goldfinch  and  his  courtly  mate, 
My  Madam  Bunting  ;" 

but  here,  I  suspect,  there  is  some  political  allusion.     He  does,  how- 
ever, make  the  Wren, 

"  Which  simple  people  call  Onr  Lady's  hen,"  § 
confess  that  Robin  is  not  her  lawful  mate ;  a  state  of  things  which 
never  used  to  be  suspected  in  the  nursery,  whatever  may  be  the  case 
ifi  these  enlightened  days.  She  also  tells  her  gossip,  the  Hedge- 
sparrow,  that  when  the  Eagle  oils  his  feathers  ||  and  soars  aloft  to 
confer  with  Jove,  he  unwittingly  bears,  concealed  among  his  down, 
her  nimble  Robinet,  who  thus  hears  the  secrets  of  Olympus,  which, 
with  untired  wings,  he  carries  back  to  his  paramour ; 

"  And  by  this  means  we  two  will  rule  the  state." 
Politics  again,  perhaps ;  but  nevertheless  there  seems  to  be  a  savour 
of  the  old  story  of  how  the  wren  became  king.^    If  I  may  tell  it  as  I 

*  Poetical  Works  (Pickering's  edition,  1825),  vol.  i.  p.  154. 

t  WorJiS,  vol.  i.  p.  24.        J  The  Owl  [iv.  1299].  §  TJie  Owl  [iv.  1308]. 

II  The  Owl  [iv.  1308-9].  Waterton  flatly  denies  that  birds  do  oil  their 
feathers. — See  Essays  on  Natural  Historj/, -pip.  60-64: ;  2nd  series,  p.  130,  &c.; 
3rd  series,  pp.  268-269. 

^  The  spider  of  Krilof's  fable,  "  The  Eagle  and  the  Spider,"  made  use  of  the 
big  bird  in  the  same  way  as  Drayton's  robinet  did,  and  as  did  the  cunning  wren 
of  the  story. — See  Ralston's  Kr'dof  and  his  FahlcSy  p.  107. 


268  THE  FOLK-LORE  OF  DEAYTON. 

have  told  in  print  before,  it  runs  :  —The  feathered  sages  assembled  to 
choose  a  ruler,  and  they  decided  on  accepting  the  candidate  who  should 
attain  the  highest  flight.  Off  started  the  eagle  and  the  wren,  and  up, 
up,  up  they  went.  A.t  first  the  latter  appeared  to  have  the  advantage 
because  he  rose  in  a  straight  line,  while  his  antagonist,  as  his  manner 
is,  described  great  circles  in  his  flight.  After  a  time,  however,  the 
little  wings  grew  weary,  and  the  crafty  wren,  all  unfelt,  dropped  down 
on  the  labouring  eagle's  back.  When  the  huge  bird  was  tired,  he 
stopped.  "  Where  art  thou,  wren  ?  "  he  said.  **  Here,  above  thee  I  " 
was  the  answer,  as  the  cunning  tiny  one  spread  his  wings  and  made 
his  last  spurt.  So  the  wren  was  king ;  and  king  he  is  called  iu  most 
European  languages. 

When  Drayton  says  that  the  Falcon  "  loved  the  Owl,  and  held 
him  only  dear,"  *  and  refers  to  Pliny  as  his  authority,  I  suppose 
he  is  thinking  of  what  that  authority  sets  down  in  his  chapter  f  con- 
cerning the  owlet.  When  surrounded  by  more  enemies  than  it  can 
overcome,  the  owlet  "  throws  itself  on  its  back,  and  so,  resisting  with 
feet  and  rolling  up  its  body  into  a  mass,  defends  itself  with  the  beak 
and  talons,  until  the  hawk,  attracted  by  a  certain  natural  affinity, 
comes  to  his  assistance  and  takes  its  share  of  the  combat."  J  Pleasant 
hours  must  Drayton  have  spent  poring  over  Holland's  translation  of 
the  credulous  old  naturalist,  who,  however,  throws  no  light  (as  far 
as  I  can  find)  on  the  meaning  of  his  disciple's  assertion, — 

"  The  hens  (to  women)  sanctity  express, 
Hallowing  their  eggs." 


*  The  Owl  [iv.  1295]. 

t  Book  X.  ch.  19.  In  the  Owl  and  tlie  NightingaUy  pp.  4,  5  (Percy  Society), 
the  owl  is  reproached  with  having  laid  its**fole  ey"  in  the  "faukun's"  nest, 
and  with  causing  a  domestic  broil  in  consequence.    The  hen-falcon  declares — 

"I-wis  it  was  ure  ozer  brother, 
The  zond  that  haved  that  gretc  heved." 
The  poem  probably  belongs  to  the  latter  end  of  the  twelfth  century. 

X  Although  the  action  of  The  Owl  takes  place  in  May,  the  birds  arrange  for 
the  consummation  of  their  matrimonial  designs  at  St.  Valentine — rather  a  long 
engagement  in  such  an  unconventional  society  as  theirs  must  be. — Cf.  iv.  1289, 
1291,  &c. 


THE  FOLK-LORE  OF  DRAYTON.  269 

Amongst  creatures  ^Yhicll  come  to  Noah's  assembly  but  have  not  the 
entree  of  modern  zoological  society,  we  have  "  the  huge  ruck,"  *  pro- 
genitor, no  doubt,  of  Sindbad's  friends  ;  also, 

"  The  Salamander  to  the  Ark  retires, 
To  fly  the  flood  it  doth  forsake  the  fires." 

t  '*  That  a  Salamander  is  able  to  live  in  flames,  to  endure  and  put 
out  fire,  is  an  assertion  not  only  of  great  Antiquity,  but  confirmed  by 
frequent  and  not  contemptible  testimony,"  says  Dr.  Thomas  Browne. 
"  ....  All  which,  notwithstanding  there  is  on  the  negative 
authority  and  experience."  Neither  did  that  astute  gentleman  give 
credit  to  the  story  of  the  cockatrice,  the  half-bird,  half-serpent  (now 
only  legitimately  hatched  at  Heralds'  College),  which  like  the  fabled 
snake,  called  basilisk,  |  had  death  in  its  glance  ;  though  in  the  Ark,  as 
Drayton  assures  us,  the  power  was  most  happily  suspended.  I  may 
conclude  what  I  have  to  say  about  Noah's  live  stock,  by  mentioning 
that  that  fearsome  item  of  folk-lore,  the  dragon — the  fabled  guardian 
of  so  many  hoards  of  fabulous  treasure — 

*'  The  watchful  dragon  comes  the  ark  to  keep," 
precisely  as  if  he  were  in  the  police  force  of  patriarchal  times ;  and 
"  Lulled  with  murmur  gently  falls  asleep," 

just  as  naturally  as  if  he  belonged  to  that  of  the  nineteenth  century. 

Drayton's  faith  in  the  phoenix  was  completely  orthodox,  but  he  did 
not  put  her  in  the  ark,  and  one  wonders  what  became  of  her  during 
the  Deluge.  She  was,  said  his  Owl,§  following  Claudian  de  Phcenice, 
"  parent  and  infant  to  herself  alone,"  and  it  is  well  that  she  was 


*  See  also  The  Battle  of  Aginconrt  [i.  13]. 

f  Pseud.  Epid.  book  iii.  ch.  13,  p.  113. 

X  In  justice  to  Drayton  I  must  remark  that  he  was  rather  advanced  in  his 
knowledge  of  the  slow-worm.  He  writes,  "  The  small-eyed  slow-worm,  called  of 
many  blind." — Noali's  Flood  [iv.  1538].  As  it  is  still  sometimes  called  the 
blind-worm,  I  suppose  its  possession  of  the  faculty  of  sight  is  yet  doubted.  The 
Key.  J.  G.  Wood  states  "it  is  anything  but  blind,  and  its  eyes  though  small  are 
brilliant." — Common  Objects  of  the  Country,^.  34.  Poisonous,  however,  Drayton 
thought  it  was. 

§  Tlw  Owl  [iv.  1301].  The  Parrot  and  the  Vulture  are  gossips,  and  worse, 
in  this  satire  of  Drayton's. 


270  THE  FOLK-LORE  OF  DRAYTON. 

solitary,  or  it  is  plain  that  the  Parrot  and  the  Vulture  would  have 

raised  some  scandal  about  her.    King  John"*  did  not  scruple  to  tell  his 

wooed  Matilda — 

"  The  Arabian  bird  that  never  is  but  one, 
Is  only  chaste  because  she  is  alone." 

The  Earl  of  Surrey ,t  writing  (by  Drayton)  to  the  Lady  Geraldine, 
has  a  dainty  reference  to  the  bird  which 

"  from  her  spiced  flame 
Kenews  herself  in  that  she  doth  consume  "  ; 

and  other  allusions,  are  indicated  below.J 

Drayton's  idea  of  the  vara  avis  was  very  much  like  that  set  forth 
by  S.  Clement  of  Rome,  who  introduces  it  into  his  first  Epistle  to  the 
Corinthians  §  as  a  type  of  the  Resurrection.  One  wonders  whether 
either  or  neither  really  credited  its  existence,  or  whether  it  was  merely 
honoured  as  one  of  those  things  which,  as  Maundrell  said  of  Dead 
Sea  apples,  serve  for  a  good  illusion  and  help  the  poet  to  a  simi- 
litude. 

Let  us  quote  St.  Clement : — 

"  1.  Let  us  consider  that  wonderful  type  of  the  resurrection  which  is 
to  be  seen  in  the  Eastern  countries,  that  is  to  say,  in  Arabia. 

"2.  There  is  a  certain  bird  called  a  phoenix  ;  of  this  there  is  never 
but  one  at  a  time,  and  that  lives  five  hundred  years.  And  when  tlie 
time  of  its  dissolution  draws  near  that  it  must  die,  it  makes  itself  a 
nest  of  frankincense  and  myrrh,  and  other  spices,  into  which,  when  its 
time  is  fulfilled,  it  enters  and  dies. 

*'  3.  But  its  flesh  putrefying,  breeds  a  certain  worm,  which,  being 
nourished  with  the  juice  of  the  dead  bird,  brings  forth  feathers ;  and, 
when  it  is  so  grown  to  a  perfect  state,  it  takes  up  the  nest  in  which 
the  bones  of  its  parent  lie  and  carries  it  from  Arabia  into  Egypt  to  a 
city  called  Heliopolis. 

*  Eng.  Heroic.  Epis.  [i.  233], 

t  Eng.  Heroic.  Epis.  [i.  360-361].  The  date  palm  is  also  called  phojnix, 
because  when  burned  to  the  ground  it  has  the  power  of  springing  up  again. 
Perhaps  Drayton  may  have  been  thinking  of  this  at  p.  361. 

X  Mean,  xvi.  [iv.  1265];  Eclogue  ii.  [iv.  1388];  Ec,  iii.  [iv.  1394];  Nymplial 
iii.  [iv.  1467];  Nympli.  viii.  [iv.  1506]. 

§  Chap.  xii. 


THE  FOLK-LORE  OF  DRAYTON.  271 

"  4.  And  flying  in  open  day  in  the  sight  of  all  men,  lays  it  npon 
the  altar  of  the  sun,  and  so  returns  from  whence  it  came. 

'*  5.  The  priests  then  search  into  the  records  of  the  time  and  find 
that  it  returned  precisely  at  the  end  of  five  hundred  years. 

"  6.  And  shall  we  then  think  it  to  be  any  very  great  and  strange 
thing  for  the  Lord  of  all  to  raise  up  those  that  religiously  serve  Him 
in  the  assurance  of  a  good  faith  when  even  by  a  bird  He  shows  us  the 
greatness  of  His  power  to  fulfil  His  promise  ?  " 

Another  bird  which  had  (has  ?)  ascribed  to  it  an  origin  to  the  full 
as  fabulous  as  that  attributed  to  the  phoenix  is  what  naturalists  now 
call  the  Anser  leunopsis,  or  barnacle  goose,  and  what  Drayton  spoke 
of  as  the  tree  goose,  from  its  supposed  vegetable  inception.  The 
histoiy  of  the  myth  of  these 

"  fowles  from  planchers  sprung,"  * 

placed  by  the  poet  of  the  Polyolhion  amongst  the  wonders  of  our  native 
isle,  has  been  so  fully  and  so  recently  set  forth  by  Max  Miiller  in 
Lectures  on  the  Science  of  Language,^  that  it  is  unnecessary  for  me 
to  do  more  than  refer  my  readers  to  that  work  if  they  do  not  already 
know  with  whom  Drayton  shared  his  belief,  and  how  that  belief  arose. 
About  Furness  \  he  informs  us  are — 

"  scatter'd  trees  which  naturally  partake 
The  fatness  of  the  soil  (in  many  a  shiny  lake 
Their  roots  so  deeply  soaked),  send  from  their  stocky  bough 
A  soft  and  sappy  gum  from  which  those  tree-geese  grow, 
Call'd  barnacles  by  us,  which  like  a  jelly  first 
To  the  beholder  seeme  them  like  the  fluxine  nurst. 
Still  great  and  greater  thrive  until  you  well  may  see 
Them  tum'd  to  perfect  fowles,  when  dropping  from  the  tree 
Into  the  merey  pond  which  under  them  doth  lie, 
Wax  ripe  and  taking  wing  away  in  flockes  do  fly, 
Which  well  our  ancients  did  among  our  wonders  place." 

Of  this  process  Gerarde  has  a  most  sensational  picture,  which  Dray- 
ton, no  doubt,  had  seen  ;  it  has  been  very  correctly  copied  for  Max 
Miiller's  book.     When  I  was  sojourning  at  Bournemouth,  during  the 

*  Pol.  iii.  [ii.  711];  see  also  Pol.  xxv.  [iii.  1157]. 

f  8th  ed.  vol.  ii.  pp.  583-60-t.    Barnacle  is  said  to  be  a  corruption  of  lUbcr- 
niece  or  Hiherniculce,  i.  e,  Irish. 
X  PoL  xxvii.  [iii.  1190]. 


272  THE  FOLK-LORE  OF  DRAYTON. 

autumn  of  1874,  a  piece  of  timber  literally  alive  with  Cirrhopodes 
lepadidiv  was  cast  ashore,  and  I  viewed  it  with  some  sympathy  for 
the  popular  error.  Before  leaving  geese  I  will  show  how  Drayton  deals 
with  superstitions,  dealt  with  by  Sir  Walter  Scott  long  afterwards  in 
one  of  the  best-known  passages  in  Marmion^*  I  mean  that  in  which 
the  nuns  of  Whitby  told — 

"  how  of  a  thousand  snakes  each  one 
Was  turned  into  a  coil  of  stone. 

When  holy  Hilda  pray'd 
Themselves  within  their  holy  bound, 
Their  stony  folds  had  often  found. 
They  told  how  sea-fowls'  pinions  fail 
As  over  Whitby's  tovpers  they  sail, 
And  sinking  down  with  flutterings  faint 
They  do  their  homage  to  the  saint." 

In  the  early  part  of  the  seventeenth  centuiy  the  same  poetic  mate- 
rial was  thus  employed,  the  proud  North  Riding  being  the  speaker. f 

*•  Like  Whitby's  self  I  think  there's  none  can  show  but  I 
O'er  whose  attractive  earth  there  may  no  wild  geese  fly. 
For  presently  they  fall  from  off  their  wings  to  ground. 
If  this  no  wonder  be,  where's  there  a  wonder  found  ? 
And  stones  like  serpents  there,  yet  may  ye  more  behold 
That  in  their  natural  yres  are  up  together  roird." 

A  rationalistic  exjilanation  of  the  check  in  the  flight  of  the  birds  is 
that  they  are  weary  after  a  long  journey  over  the  sea,  and  glad  to 
lower  their  sails  on  reaching  Whitby  scar.  The  snakes  are  fossil 
ammonites. 

In  the  song  of  the  dying  swan,  Drayton  had  the  staunch  belief  that 
becomes  a  poet  and  his  verse.     "  Let  pyes  and  daws,"  he  said — 

"  sit  dumb  before  their  death,J 
Only  the  swan  sings  at  the  parting  breath." 

There  are  other  natural  history  specimens  which  wc  can  hardly 
afford  to  miss.  Perhaps  the  animal  which  we  should  least  suspect  of 
enjoying  any  special  revelation  as  to  the  benefits  of  abstinence  is  the 

*  Canto  ii.  14.  f  Pol.  xxviii.  [iii.  1202]. 

X  Elegy  to  Mr.  George  Sandys  [iv.  1326J;  sec  also  Eclogue^  vi.  [iv.  1412J; 
Eff^.  Heroic.  EpU,  [i.  379];  Pol.  xxv.  [ii.  1167]. 


THE  FOLK-LORE  OP  DRAYTON.  273 

pig ;  yet  in  the  account  of  the  murrain  *  which  came  upon  plague- 
stricken  Egypt  we  are  helped  to  realize  the  hapless  strait  to  which 
domesticated  animals  were  reduced  when  we  read — 

"  The  swine  which  nature  secretly  doth  teach, 
Only  by  fasting  sicknesses  to  cure, 
Now  but  in  vain  is  to  itself  a  leech." 

Early  surgeons  chose   to   perform  many  of  their  dissections   on 
swine  — 

"As  likest  the  human  form  diyine," 

but  I  was  not  aware  that  pigs  were  ever  held  up  by  the  faculty  of  any 
age  as  being  examples  of  judicious  temperance.  Drayton  seems  to 
think,  too,  that  the  wit  of  mankind  would  never  have  devised  a 
sledge  had  it  not  been  for  hints  given  by  the  habits  of  the  beaver.f 
This  remarkable  beast  submits  to  lie  on  his  back  and  to  have  his 
upper  surface  laden  with  timber,  kept  from  falling  by  means  of  his 
mighty  tail,  whilst  he  is  dragged  home  by  his  comrades  who  haul  at  a 
stick  which  he  grips  enduringly  between  his  jaws.  Other  creatures 
from  which  Drayton  suspects  man  learned  useful  arts  were  the  kite, 
whose  guiding  train  "  prescribes  the  helm";  the  crane,  who  by  bur- 
dening  his  craw  with  sand  and  gravel  suggested  ballast ;  the  martin, 
whose  mission  was  to  recommend  mud-dwellings  ;  and  the  nightin- 
gale, who  first  taught  music.  J 

That  hart's  tears  were  held  precious  in  medicine  we  learn  from  the 
thirteenth  Polyolbionic  song,§  the  difficulty  of  collecting  being  no 
doubt  contributory  to  their  virtue.  We  have  only  to  consult  Cockayne's 
Leechdoms,  \\  &c.  to  find  out  what  an  important  factor  the  hart  was  in 
the  pharmacopoeia  of  long  ago.  Now-a-days,  indeed,  we  still  have 
great  faith  in  hartshorn  in  domestic  practice,  but  the  drug  has  no 
more  come  from  the  hart  than  cheap  sherry  has  from  Xeres. 

There  is,  as  poor  dear  Mrs.  Malaprop  might  say,  a  nice  derangement 
of  caparisons  in  a  letter  written  by  Drayton  %  in  the  character  of  virtuous 

♦  Moses,  his  Birth  and  Miracles,  book  ii.  [iv.  1588].    Since  writing  the 
above  I  have  seen  this  swinish  temperance  mentioned  in  a  modem  book  without 
reference  to  our  text, 
t  Pol.  vi.  [ii.  769].  %  The  Owl  [jv.  1279].  §  [iii.  918.] 

II  Vol,  ii.  t  Eng.  Heroic.  Epis.  [i.  238]. 

Vol.  2.— Part  9.  t 


274  THE  FOLK-LORE  OF  DRAYTON. 

Matilda  Fitzwalter  to  the  less  admirable  King  John.  The  "  allegory 
on  the  banks  of  the  Nile  "  is  the  type  of  one  who  afiFects  to  regret  that 
which  his  own  evil  passions  have  brought  about.*  I  give  the  passage 
in  full  as  it  is  rich  in  unnatural  history — 

"  The  dead  man's  grave  with  feigning  tears  to  fill, 
So  the  dcTOuring  crocodile  doth  kill. 
To  harbour  hate  in  show  of  wholesome  things, 
So  in  the  rose  the  poison'd  serpent  stings. 
To  lurk  far  off  yet  lodge  destruction  by, 
The  basilisk  so  poisons  with  its  eye. 
To  call  for  aid  and  then  to  lie  in  wait, 
So  the  hyaena  murders  by  deceit.f 
By  sweet  enticement  sudden  death  to  bring. 
So  from  the  rocks  alluring  mermaids  sing." 

The  belief  that  the  dove  had  no  gall  gave  that  bird  an  importance 

with  sentimentalists  which  it  has  now  lost.     Lovers  were  formerly 

pleased  to  attribute  the  same  physiological  defect  to  their  mistresses, 

and  consequently  Drayton  did  not  neglect  to  credit  his  "  Idea  "  there- 

with.J 

"  A  milk-white  dove  upon  her  hand  she  brought. 
So  tame  t'would  go,  returning  at  her  call. 
About  whose  neck  was  in  a  collar  wrought 
'  Only  like  me,  my  mistress  hath  no  gall.' " 

The  Bestiaries  made  good  use  of  this  and  of  other  idiosyncrasies  of 
the  dove  in  likening  it  to  the  Holy  Spirit,  of  whom  it  may  be 
accounted  the  self-chosen  symbol.  Raulin,§  an  eccentric  French 
preacher  who  died  in  1514,  gave  many  reasons  why  the  bird  was  thus 
highly  honoured ;   the  first  being,  "  A  dove  is  without  gall  and  is 

*  "  The  crocodile  shrowdeth  greatest  treason  under  most  pitiful  teares:  in  a 
kissing  mouth  there  lyeth  a  galling  minde." — Euphtieg  (Arber's  edition),  p.  75. 

t  At  the  present  day  people  in  Palestine  believe  that  this  animal  "  posts  itself 
near  a  road,  and,  by  an  irresistible  power  of  fascination  which  it  can  exercise  on 
human  beings,  it  obliges  a  traveller  to  follow  it,  leading  him  through  rough  and 
thorny  places  that  he  may  fall  and  bleed  to  death  or  be  worn  out  by  fatigue,  and 
so  become  a  defenceless  prey/*'  If  the  man  at  once  cry  out  for  help  the  beast 
runs  off  howling,  for  "its  magnetic  force  has  no  power  on  the  person." — Pierotti's 
Customs  and  Traditions  of  Palestine,  p.  40. 

X  Eclogtw,  ix.  [iv.  1435] ;  see  also  T/te  Owl  [iv.  1313]. 

§  Post-Medi(eval  Preachers,  by  S.  Baring-Gould. 


THE  FOLK-LORE  OF  DRAYTON.  275 

harmless,  and  therefore  represents  the  character  of  those  bom  of  the 
Spirit." 

The  raven  has  long  been  looked  upon  as  the  antithesis  of 
the  dove,  and  has  a  wide  reputation  as  being  a  bird  of  ill  omen. 
Drayton  *  makes  Noah's  sooty  messenger  return  to  the  Ark  from  its 
fruitless  errand;  Jewish  tradition  shows  it  remaining  aloof  to  feed  on 
carcases.  Bishop  Wordsworth  f  seems  to  favour  the  opinion  that  it 
did  not  re-enter  the  Ark,  but  merely  hovered  thereabout.  Wodan^  the 
supreme  deity  of  Teutonic  mythology,  had  in  his  character  of  god  of 
victory  two  ravens,  Huginn  and  Muninn,  who  were  brave,  cunning, 
and  wise,  and  who  sat  on  his  shoulders  and  whispered  into  his  ears 
whatsoever  they  saw  and  heard.  It  is  also  said  that  they  were  heralds 
of  death  to  heroes ;  and  what  with  their  black  plumage,  croaking 
voices,  and  uncanny  ways,  it  is  not  surprising  that  their  appearance 
was  associated  with  misfortune.  Darkness  and  cacophony  may  well 
fill  the  soul  with  a  sense  of  coming  horrors. 

"  The  greedy  raven  that  for  death  doth  call,"§ 
says  Drayton  in  The  Owly  wherein  we  have  likewise 

"  The  shrieking  litch-owl  that  doth  never  cry 
But  boding  death."§ 

In  the  Mooncalf  \\  we  are  told  that  the  night  crow  "  boded  great  mor- 
tality to  men"  ;  and  in  the  Barons  Wars%  we  have,  amongst  the  con- 
catenation of  portents  which  presented  themselves  to  Edward  II.  in 
captivity, — 

"  The  ominous  raven  often  he  doth  hear, 
Whose  croaking,  him  of  following  horror  tells, 
Begetting  strange  imaginary  fear 
With  heavy  echoes  like  to  passing-bells: 
The  howling  dog  a  doleful  part  doth  bear, 
As  though  they  chim'd  his  last  sad  burying  knells. 
Under  his  cave  the  buzzing  scritch-owl  sings, 
Beating  the  windows  with  her  fatal  wings." 


♦  Noah's  Flood  [iv.  1548]. 

f  B^oly  Bible,  with  Notes,  sub  Gen.  viii.  9,  &c. 

%  Grimm's  Teutonic  Mythology  (Stally brass's  translation),  vol.  i.  p.  147. 

§  \\y.  1297.]  II  [ii.  510.]  t  Book  v.  v.  42  [i.  176], 

t2 


276  THE  FOLK-LORE  OF  DRAYTON. 

On  the  morning  of  the  day  when  Aginconrt  was  fought  *  the  game- 
some lark  seemed  as  if  she  were  singing  with  the  double  object  of 
awaking  the  English  and  of  making  intercession  at  heaven's  gate  for 
their  success.  Flocks  of  ravens  roused  the  drowsy  Frenchmen  by 
croaking  in  such  wise  that  all  the  country-side  could  hear.  By  our 
foes  this  was  taken  as  a  sign,  not  that  the  birds  would  feast  on  their 
dead  bodies,  but  that  English  flesh  should  be  the  prey.  The  poet 
was  full  of  portents.  Earthquakes,  floods,  storms,  famines,  plagues; 
monstrous  births,  comets,  armies  in  the  air,  blood  issuing  from  the 
ground :  these  are  a  few  of  the  methods  nature  adopts  to  hint  at 
what  is  coming.  I  append  references,  so  that  those  who  will  may 
take  their  fill  of  such  horrors.f 

Concerning  the  minor  portents,  which  come  under  the  head  of 
weather-lore,  Drayton  gives  a  few  hints  : 

"  The  strutting  peacock  yawling  'gainst  the  rain,"  f 

made  so  much  noise  on  entering  the  ark  that  the  most  unbelieving 
antediluvian  must  have  felt  sure  that  wet  weather  was  imminent,  par-' 
ticularly  as  the  brawling  of  the  carrion-crow  supported  the  assurance 
of  the  peacock.  We  learn  from  Polyolhion  §  that  when  Pendle's  head 
is  free  from  clouds  the  people  thereabout  expect  a  halcyon  day,  and 
that  those  on  the  banks  of  the  Can  (or  Kent?),  in  Westmoreland,  can 
tell  what  weather  to  look  for  from  the  voice  of  its  falls.  || 

*'  For  when  they  to  the  north  the  noise  do  eas'liest  hear, 
They  constantly  aver  the  weather  will  be  clear; 
And  when  they  to  the  south,  again  they  boldly  say, 
It  will  be  clouds  or  rain  the  next  approaching  day." 

St.  Swithin's  reputation  as  a  weather  indicator  is  not  forgotten  in 


♦  The  Battle  of  Agincourt  [i.  41]. 

t  The  Baronst  Warx,  book  i.  v.  10  [i.  92];  book  i,  v.  .S3  [i.  97J ;  book  ii.  v.  15 
[i.  Ill];  book  iv.  V.  41  [i.  158];  Miseries  of  Queen  Margaret  [ii.  .389,  391]; 
Eng.  Heroic.  Ejns.  [i.  301];  Pol.  ii.  [ii.  689] ;  see,  too,  note,  p.  701;  Pol. 
xxii.  [iii.  lOGfi];  Legend  of  T.  Cromwell,  Earl  of  Essex  [ii.  590];  the  ilfwrn- 
6W//[ii.  479]. 

X  Noah's  Flood  [iv.  153G,  1537].  §  xxvii.  [iii.  1182]. 

II  Pol.  XXX.  [iii.  1222]. 


r 


A  FOLK-TALE  FROM  ABERDEENSHIRE.  277 


the  twenty-fourth  song  of  Polyolbion*  where  Drayton  supplies  a  long 
catalogue  of  British— -I  use  the  word  in  its  pre-Freemanic  sense- 
worthies  whose  names  are  no  longer  within  the  ken  of  the  Folk. 


A  FOLK-TALE  FROM  ABERDEENSHIRE. 

The  Wifie  an  Her  Kidie. 

HE  following  folk-tale  has  been  communicated  to  me  by 
Mr.  James  Moir,  M.A.  Rector  of  the  Grammar  School, 
Aberdeen.  .  A  form  of  it  under  the  title  of  "  The  Wife 
and  her  Bush  of  Berries  "  is  given  in  Popular  Rhymes  of 
Scotland^  pp.  57-59,  by  Robert  Chambers  (1870). 

There  wiz  a  wifie,  an  she  sweipit  her  hoosie  clean  an  fair,  an  she 
fan  twal  pennies.  An  she  geed  till  the  market,  an  she  bocht  a  kid. 
An  she  said  : — "  Kid,  kid,  rin  hame,  leuk  the  hoose,  an  come  again, 
till  I  gedder  a  puckle  sticks  to  my  fair  firie." 

"  Niver  a  lenth,"  said  the  kid,  "will  I  rin  hame,  leuk  the  hoose, 
an  come  again  ;  ye  can  dee't  yersel." 

An  the  wifie  said  to  the  dog  : — "  Dog,  dog,  bite  kid ;  kid  winna 
rin  hame,  leuk  the  hoose,  an  come  again  till  I  gedder  a  puckle  sticks 
to  my  fair  firie." 

"  Niver  a  lenth,"  said  the  dog,  "  will  I  bite  the  kid ;  the  kid  niver 
did  me  ony  ill." 

"  Stick,  stick,  ding  dog.  Dog  winna  bite  kid,  kid  winna  rin 
hame,"  &c. 

"  Niver  a  lenth,"  said  the  stick,  "  will  I  ding  dog  ;  dog  niver  did 
me  ony  ill." 

*'  Fire,  fire,  burn  stick;  stick  winna  ding  dog,  dog  winna  bite  kid, 
kid  winna  rin,"  &c. 

"  Niver  a  lenth,"  said  the  fire,  "  will  I  bum  the  stick ;  the  stick 
niver  did  me  ony  ill." 

"  Watter,  watter,  quench  fire  ;  fire  winna  burn  stick,  stick  winna 
ding  dog,"  &c. 

*  [iii.  1134,  1135.] 


278  SOME  DERBYSHIRE  PROVERBS  AND  SAYINGS. 

"  Niver  a  lenth,"  said  the  waiter,  "  will  I  quench  fire ;  fire  niver 
did  me  ony  ill." 

"  Ox,  ox,  drink  watier  ;  waiter  winna  quench  fire;  fire  winna  burn 
stick,"  &c. 

"  Niver  a  lenth,"  said  the  ox,  "  the  waiter  niver  did  me  ony  ill." 

"  Aix,  aix,  kill  ox ;  ox  winna  drink  waiter ;  watier  winna  quench 
fire ;  fire,"  &c. 

"  Niver  a  lenth,"  said  the  aix,  "  the  ox  niver  did  me  ony  ill." 

"  Smith,  smith,  smee  aix  ;  aix  winna  kill  ox;  ox,"  &c. 

"  Niver  a  lenth,"  said  the  smith,  "  the  aix  niver  did  me  ony  ill." 

"  Rope,  rope,  hang  smith ;  smith  winna  smee  aix  ;  aix  winna,"  &c. 

"  Niver  a  lenth,"  said  the  rope,  "  the  smith  niver  did  me  ony  ill." 

"  Moosie,  moosie,  gnaw  rope ;  rope  winna  hang  smith ;  smith,"  &c. 

Noo,  a'  this  time  the  cattie  wiz  sittin  i'  the  ingle-neuk  singin  a 
sang  till  hersel. 

■  So  the  wifie  said  : — "  Bonnie  cattie,  gin  ye  wud  tak  moosie,  I  wud 
gie  you  some  fine  milk  an  breed  t'  yersel." 

So  the  cattie  t'  the  moosie,  an  the  moosie  t'  the  rope,  an  the  rope 
t'  the  smith,  an  the  smith  t'  the  aix,  an  the  aix  t'  the  ox,  and  the 
ox  t'  the  watier,  an  the  waiter  t'  the  fire,  an  the  fire  t'  the  stick,  an 
the  stick  t'  the  dog,  an  the  dog  t'  the  kid,  an  the  kid  ran  hame,  leukit 
the  hoose,  an  cam  again  till  the  wifie  gedderii  a  puckle  sticks  till  her 
fair  firie. 

Another  version  of  the  ending  is : — An  the  kiddie  ran  ower  the 
brig  o'  the  waulk-mill  an  broke  her  neck.  Walter  Gregor. 


SOME  DEKBYSHIRE  PROVERBS  AND 
SAYINGS. 

"  If  St.  Paul  be  fine  and  clear, 
It  doth  betide  a  happy  year  ; 
But  if  that  day  it  snow  or  rain, 
Then  will  be  dear  all  sorts  of  grain." 


r 


SOME  DERBYSHIRE  PROVERBS  AND  SAYINGS.  279 


If  the  sun  shines  through  the  apple-trees  on  Christmas-day,  the 
year  following  will  be  a  productive  one. 

Alluding  to  the  wet  usually  prevalent  about  the  middle  of  July,  the 
saying  is—"  St.  Mary  Magdalene  is  washing  her  handkerchief  to  go 
to  her  cousin  St.  James's  fair." 

"  Between  the  sickle  and  the  scythe 
What  is  bom  will  never  thrive." 

Bees. 

"  A  swarm  in  May 

Worth  a  load  of  hay. 
A  swarm  in  June 

Worth  a  silver  spoon. 
A  swarm  in  July 
Not  worth  a  fly." 

"  Derbyshire  born, 
Derbyshire  bred, 
Strong  i'  the  arm, 

And  thick  i'  the  head." 

"  Rain  before  seven, 
Fine  before  eleven." 

At  Codnor  Park  there  is  a  large  pond  believed  never  to  fail. 

"  When  Codnor's  Pond  runs  dry, 
The  Lords  may  say  good-bye." 

The  outside  of  Hardwick  Hall  has  so  many  windows  that  it  looks 
like  a  lantern. 

"  Hardwick  Hall, 
More  window  than  wall." 

"  Friday  night's  dreams,  Sunday  told. 
Sure  to  come  true  however  old." 

The  following  Proverbs  are  common  among  the  lower  classes  :— 
Dirty  grate  makes  dinner  late. 
Too  much  bed  makes  a  dull  head. 
Watch  pot  never  boils. 
Experience  makes  fools  wise. 


280  SOME  DERBYSniRE  PROVERBS  ANI>  SAYINGS. 

A  fool's  money  is  soon  parted. 

A  foolish  man  lights  his  candle  at  both  ends. 

You  never  miss  the  water,  till  the  well  runs  dry. 

A  spark  may  raise  an  awful  blaze. 

Never  trouble  trouble,  till  trouble  troubles  you. 

On  seeing  crows  flying  : — 

"  One  for  sorrow, 
Two  for  mirth, 
Three  for  a  wedding, 

Four  for  a  birth, 
Five  for  a  funeral. 
Six  for  a  dance. 
Seven  for  old  England, 
Eight  for  France." 

Said  to  be  a  very  rare  thing  to  see  eight  crows  flying  together. 

Never  pass  under  a  ladder,  if  possible  ;  if  obliged  to  do  so,  spit 
three  times  and  wish. 

Very  unlucky  to  burn  evergreens. 

Never  burn  a  tooth  without  covering  it  with  salt. 

If  the  first  lamb  you  see  in  the  spring  has  its  head  turned  towards 
you,  it  forbodes  good  ;  if  its  tail  is  towards  you,  evil. 

Unlucky  to  spill  salt,  or  to  cross  knives  on  the  table. 

"  Help  to  salt,  help  to  sorrow." 

When  any  one-  sneezes,  say  God  bless  you. 

Always  spit  on  money  when  given  to  you. 

When  you  see  a  crow  flying,  bow  to  it,  or  ill-luck  is  sure  to  follow. 

If  you  kill  a  black  beetle  (out  of  doors)  it  is  certain  to  rain. 

The  first  time  you  see  the  new  moon,  bow  to  it  three  times,  and 
turn  over  your  money  in  your  pocket,  if  you  have  any. 

Always  kill  a  devil's-hcad  beetle,  as  one  of  them  preceded  Judas  to 
the  garden  where  Our  Lord  was,  on  the  night  before  the  crucifixion, 
and  when  near  our  Lord  it  turned  up  its  tail,  thus  discovering  him  to 
the  betrayer.  R.  C.  Hope. 


TABULATION  OP  FOLK-TALES. 


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NOTES  AND  QUERIES. 

Folk-lore  Terminology. — In  the  August  number  of  Milusine^  M. 
Gaidoz  draws  attention  to  tlic  great  importance  of  determining  the 
terminology  of  the  science  of  comparative  mythology.     There  can  be 
no  doubt  that  this  work  is  very  much  needed,  but  not  more  so,  I 
would  venture  to  suggest,  than  the  determination  of  the  terminology 
of  the  science  of    folk-lore.     It  will  be  gathered  from  this  way  of 
putting  it  that  I  claim  for  folk-lore  a  distinct  and  separate  existence 
from  "  Comparative  Mythology "  ;  and  though  I  know  that  in  most 
minds,  and  I  should  judge  in  that  of  M.  Gaidoz  himself,  the  two 
terms  are  synonymous,  or  nearly  so,  yet  I  would  urge  that  the  settle- 
ment of  this  very  question  of  terminology  would  set  at  rest  all  doubts 
about  this  primary  question.     It  seems  a  little  curious  that  after  six 
years  of  existence  for  the  Folk-Lore  Society  we  should  not  yet  have 
satisfactorily  settled  the  proper  meaning  of  the  term   "  Folk-lore." 
Mr.  Lang  has  over  and  over  again  protested  against  its  misuse,  but  I 
think  that  even  his  definition  of  it  as  a  study  of  survivals  does  not 
comprehend  all  the  functions  that  the  science  of  folk-lore  properly 
includes.     I  have  been  studying  this  question  for  some  time  past  with 
a  view  of  writing  an  introduction  to  the  science  oj  folk-lore,  which  is 
now  far  advanced  towards  completion ;  but  the  many  difficulties  and 
the  many  differences  of  opiiiion  on  most  subjects  connected  with  the 
study  of  folk-lore  have  made    me  hesitate  to   promulgate  my  own 
opinion  as  one  which  should  govern  folk-lorists.     Still  there  can  be  no 
doubt  that  the  subject  wants  taking  up  in  this  way  ;  and  I  shall  bo 
happy  to  lead  off  the  discussion  in  these  columns  by  printing  my  own 
definition  of  folk-lore,  if  by  so  doing  I  can  obtain  the  opinions  of 
other  Members  of  the  Society,  and  by.  this  means  thrash  the  question 
out. 

Besides,  however,  the  primary  question  as  to  the  scope  and  meaning 
of  the  science  of  folk-lore,  there  are  several  subsidiary  points  in  folk- 
lore terminology  to  settle.  The  Folk-Tale  Committee  was  met  at  the 
very  outset  by  the  difficulty  of  a  standard  title  for  stories  which 
belonged  to  one  class — such  as,  we  will  say,  the  Cinderella  class.    All 


286  NOTES  AND  QUERIES. 

stories  being  variants  of  the  Cinderella  story  should  be  known  by  some 
standard  title.  Then  again  there  is  the  terminology  for  incidents  in 
folk-tales.  The  incidents  in  folk-tales  have  been  neglected,  while  the 
form,  plot,  and  construction  have  been  studied  for  years.  But  we 
cannot  study  the  incidents  of  folk-tales  until  we  get  a  proper  termi- 
nology. I  should  like  to  see  compiled  (and  to  get  it  done  by  co- 
operation with  Members  of  the  Society,  just  as  the  tabulation  is  being 
done)  an  index  of  folk-tale  incidents;  but  such  a  task  is  hopeless 
unless  first  of  all  a  common  terminology  is  agreed  upon. 

I  have  just  thrown  these  few  thoughts  together  with  the  ope  that 
by  discussion  we  may  arrive  at  something  like  a  process  of  settlement ; 
and  if  no  one  else  comes  forward  with  any  definition  I  will  gladly 
commence  with  mine.  G.  L.  Gomme. 

Threading  the  Needle  at  Ripon  Cathedral.— (^Ini^,  p.  253.) — 
There  is  a  crypt  beneath  Ripon  Minster  which  is  believed  by  those 
best  competent  to  judge  to  be  of  early  Saxon  architecture.  In  this 
crypt,  connecting  one  part  with  another  in  a  way  not  easy  to  describe 
without  a  plan,  is  a  passage  raised  above  the  ground.  The  late  Mr. 
John  Richard  Walbran,  in  a  paper  which  he  read  before  the  Yorkshire 
and  Lincolnshire  Architectural  Societies  on  September  14,  1858,  says 
that  "  the  easternmost  niche  in  the  north  wall  has,  at  some  period 
subsequent  to  its  original  construction,  been  perforated  and  enlarged 
through  the  wall  to  the  passage  behind,  so  as  to  form  that  renowned 
place  of  ordeal  to  which  tradition  tells  -us  that  those  ladies  who  loved 

'not  wisely  but  too  well'  were  occasionally  subjected The 

purposes  to  which  this  very  singular  place  has  been  successively 
applied  are  not  certainly  ascertained,  though  there  seems  no  doubt 
but  that  originally  it  was  intended  to  serve  as  a  place  of  retirement, 
humiliation,  penance,  and  prayer.  Camden  was  told,  within  memory 
of  the  Reformation,  that  women  were  drawn  through  *  the  Needle'  as 
an  ordeal  of  their  chastity — the  culprit  being  'miraculously'  detained  ; 
or,  as  Fuller  wittily  observed,  *  they  pricked  their  credits  who  could 
not  thread  the  needle.'  As  far,  however,  as  the  contraction  of  space 
was  concerned,  the  frailest  of  the  frail  might  have  rioted  in  intrigue 
unconvicted.  A  conspicuous  reluctance  to  assume  the  necessary 
prostrate  position  was,  I  apprehend,  the  real  difficulty." — Reports  of 


NOTES  AND  QUEKIES.  287 

Associated  Architec.  Societies^  1859,  pp.  82,  83.  Cf.  Walbran's  Guide 
to  Ripon,  12th  ed.  1875,  p.  67.  Edward  Peacock. 

Plax  in  Folk-lore. — {Ante»  p.  254). — Perhaps  the  following  extract 
from  my  Flowers  and  Flower-lore ^  vol.  i.  p.  134,  may  throw  light 
on  the  subject.  "  We  are  told  that  it  is  customary  in  one  part 
of  Germany  for  the  bride  to  place  flax  in  her  shoes,  that  she  may 
never  come  to  want.  In  another  place  she  will  tie  a  string  of  flax 
around  her  left  leg,  in  the  belief  that  she  will  thereby  enjoy  the  full 
blessing  of  the  marriage  state."  See  also  page  180  for  the  associa- 
tion of  this  plant,  with  other  branches  of  folk-lore.  From  Liddell 
and  Scott  we  learn  that  the  word  \ivov  was  used  metaphorically  to 
signify  the  thread  spun  by  the  Fates,  so  that  flax  has  long  had  a 
mysterious  association  with  the  well-being  of  man.  In  fact,  as  Count 
A.  de  Gubernates  says :  "Le  lin  est  symbole  de  vie  de  vegetation  facile 
et  abondante."  Vide  Mytliologie  des  Plantes,  vol.  ii.  p.  199.  It  is  one 
of  the  famous  springwurzel,  whence  we  find  it  known  iu  Wiirtemburg 
as  springlein  and  schliessleiny  both  interesting  words  in  this  connexion. 

Worksop.  HiLDERic  Friend. 

Notes  from  Leland's  Itinerary  (Hearne).— At  Kenchester  Roman 
money  found  there  "  the  people  cawUeth  Dwarfes  mony." — Vol.  v. 
p.  62.     "  The  first  river  be  side  Tyue  that  I  passid  over  was  Clardue. 

I  saw  ii  hillettes,  thorough  the  wich  Clarduy  passith,  wher 

they  fable  that  a  Gigant  striding  was  wont  to  wasch  his  hondes,  and 
that  Arture  killid  hym.  The  Dwellers  say  also  that  the  Gigant  was 
buried  therby,  and  shew  the  place." — Vol.  v.  p.  78.     "  To  Borow 

Hilles  [from  Burton  Lazar]  more  than  ii  miles [it]  is 

duble  dichid  and  conteinith  within  the  Dishe  to  my  estimation  a  iiii 

score  Acres To  thes  Borow  Hilles  every  yere  on  Monday 

after  Whitesonday  cum  people  of  the  Contery  therabowt,  and  shote, 
renne,  wrastel,  dawnce,  and  use  like  other  Feates  of  exercyse." — Vol.  v. 
p.  100.  "  Mougreve  Castelle  stondith  on  a  Craggy  Hille,  and  on  each 
side  of  it  is  an  Hille  far  higher  then  that  whereon  the  Castelle  stondith 
on.  The  North  Hille  on  the  Toppe  of  it  hath  certen  stones  com- 
munely  cauUid  Waddes  Grave,  whom  the  people  there  say  to  have 
bene  a  Gigant  and  Owner  of  Mougreve." — Vol,  i.  p.  60. 

Alice  B.  Gomme. 


288  NOTES  AND  QUERIES. 

Revival  of  Witchcraft  in  Ross-shire. — A  correspondent  sends  us 
the  following: — The  belief  in  witchcraft,  which  has  never  become 
quite  extinct  in  the  more  remote  parts  of  the  Highlands,  has  recently 
been  revived  in  a  certain  parish  on  the  west  coast  of  Eoss-shire. 
Some  time  ago  a  party  of  gipsies,  who  had  been  encamped  in  the 
locality  in  question,  took  the  liberty  of  grazing  their  horses  on  pasture 
belonging  to  a  township  of  small  tenants  in  the  immediate  neighbour- 
hood of  their  camp.  This  unwarranted  encroachment  on  their  rights 
the  tenants  resented,  and  drove  away  the  obnoxious  intruders,  hag  and 
baggage,  from  the  place.  On  taking  their  departure  some  of  the 
gipsies  were  heard  to  remark  that  the  tenants  might  not  be  quite  so 
conservative  of  their  pasture,  which  ere  long  they  would  have  no  cattle 
to  consume.  At  the  time  no  notice  was  taken  of  this  implied  threat. 
Soon  after,  however,  three  valuable  cows  belonging  to  one  of  the 
tenants  died  one  after  the  other  in  quick  succession,  suddenly  and 
under  mysterious  circumstances,  while  two  of  the  other  tenants  lost  a 
cow  each  under  similar  circumstances.  A  respectable  farmer,  noted 
in  the  district  for  uprightness  and  integrity  of  character,  and  who  is 
considered  an  authority  in  veterinary  matters,  had  been  called  to  see 
one  of  the  animals  shortly  before  it  died,  and,  having  carefully  examined 
the  beast,  at  once  pronounced  it  to  have  been  "  witched,"  as  the 
symptoms  were  those  of  no  known  disease.  On  the  strength  of  this 
statement  on  the  part  of  one  who  is  looked  on  as  an  authority  in  such 
matters,  coupled  with  the  ominous  language  made  use  of  by  the  gipsies, 
a  considerable  section  of  the  community  unhesitatingly  attribute  the 
death  of  the  cattle  to  the  agency  of  witchcraft !  As  a  charm  against 
the  evil  influences  at  work  one  of  the  tenants,  acting  on  the  advice  of 
the  initiated,  had  the  door  of  his  byre  changed  from  one  side  of  the 
house  to  the  other,  but  with  what  result  remains  to  be  seen.  Pending 
the  eflBcacy  of  this  charm  a  young  man  has  proceeded  to  one  of  the 
western  isles,  with  the  view  of  consulting  a  famous  witch-doctor  said 
to  be  in  practice  there.  As  an  indication  of  the  prevalence  of  the 
belief  in  witchcraft  it  may  be  stated  that  in  the  district  in  question 
there  are  two  witch-doctors  residing  within  a  distance  of  twenty  miles 
of  each  other. — Glasgow  Herald,  28  July,  1884. 

Glas"-ow.  William  Qeoroe  Black. 


THE  PHILOSOPHY  OF  PUNCHKIN.* 

N  the  first  rule  of  this  Society  its  object  is  defined  as  the 
preservation  and  publication  of  popular  traditions,  super- 
stitions, old  customs,  and  other  alHed  matters.  To  such 
objects  the  work  of  this  and  kindred  societies  is  neces- 
sarily limited.  They  can  do  but  little  in  the  way  of  collecting  materials ; 
they  can  do  much  in  giving  collectors  encouragement,  in  securing  a 
permanent  place  for  their  results,  and  in  supplying  means  of  inter- 
course between  isolated  workers  in  a  common  field.  For  the  material 
which  it  is  desired  to  preserve  needs  delicate  handling.  It  eludes  the 
grasp  of  those  who  seek  it  in  official  garb  and  magnify  their  office. 
A  Royal  Commission  may  be  empowered  to  record  the  whereabouts  of 
ancient  monuments  and  to  protect  them  from  the  hand  of  the  restorer 
and  the  ploughshare  of  the  peasant,  but  the  immaterial  and  ofttimes 
more  venerable  relics  of  bygone  customs,  traditions,  and  beliefs,  are 
not  to  be  thus  secured.  The  illiterate  who  are  their  custodians  will 
show  their  treasures  only  where  some  common  base  of  sympathy  is 
established;  and  whilst  there  remains  a  story  to  be  taken  down,  a 
superstition  or  outlying  custom  to  be  noted,  we  shall  continue  depen- 
dent upon  the  curiosity,  the  circumspection,  and  the  enthusiasm,  un- 
mixed with  bias,  of  the  individual.  That  the  collectors  of  folk-lore 
have  not  always  suspected  the  importance  of  the  material  which  they 
gather  with  such  zeal  and  patience  is  not  without  advantage.  We 
are  all  too  apt  to  see  the  thing  for  which  we  look ;  to  find,  like  the 
Empress  Helena  in  her  search  for  the  True  Cross,  that  for  which  we 
seek.  We  may,  with  no  intentional  bias,  pass  the  matter  received 
through  the  prism  of  our  preconceived  notions  or  theories  of  mythology 
and  history;  so  that  when  the  collector  is  of  the  curious  species  only — 

*  A  paper  read  before  the  Folk-Lorc  Society. 

Vol.  2.— Part  10.  u 


290  THE  PHILOSOPHY  OP  PUNCHKIN. 

without  passion,  without  prejudice — the  material  reaches  us  uni'c- 
fracted;  unaflfected  by  what  the  astronomer  calls  "  personal  equation." 

In  the  publicity  which  its  records  secure  to  such  results  is  the 
service  of  this  Society  best  rendered.  Now  and  again,  working  in  the 
spirit  of  Old  Mortality,  it  may  recover  some  mildewed  MS.  or  forgotten 
tome  in  which  exist  materials  of  priceless  worth  gathered  from  districts 
whence  now  the  screech  of  the  locomotive-whistle  has  driven  the 
fairies ;  materials  by  the  recovery  of  which  some  missing  pages  in  the 
history  of  humanity's  slow  and  toilsome  upward  career  are  replaced. 
Thus  regained  and  classified  in  order,  customs,  phrases,  "  wise  saws," 
fireside  tales,  and  nursery  songs  familiar  to  those  of  us  whose  childhood 
was  passed  in  the  country,  come  back  with  added  and  newer  mean- 
ings, and  that  which  terrified  or  amused  our  childhood  becomes  the 
serious  study  and  fruitful  instnictor  of  our  manhood  in  tracing  the 
zigzag  course  of  human  progress.  That  for  which  it  was  most  prized 
in  the  days  of  our  fathers  is  now  of  no  account ;  that  within  it  which 
they  passed  by  we  secure  as  of  permanent  worth. 

But  whilst  the  Folk-Lore  Society  must  be  primarily  a  publishing 
society,  it  does  not  exceed  its  province  in  now  and  then  pausing  in 
front  of  the  mass  of  material  already  gathered  and  asking  what  it  all 
means.  Can  that  material  be  dealt  with  as  the  geologist,  who, 
detaching  a  fragment  here  and  there  from  various  strata,  learns  the 
story  of  their  structure  and  the  conditions  which  placed  them  in  their 
several  layers  ?  or  who,  dealing  with  the  rocks  en  massey  classifies  the 
several  formations,  determines  their  order  and  succession,  and  their 
leading  characteristics  ?  I  think  this  twofold  method  is  applicable  to 
the  material  of  folk-lore  ;  it  is  ample  enough  for  classification  upon 
some  broad  general  principles,  whilst  its  component  parts  are  clear 
enough  in  their  structm*e  to  show  what  crude  philosophy,  science,  and 
theology  are  crystallised  or  fossilised  within  them. 

To  continue  the  parallel :  as  with  the  crust  of  the  earth  so  with 
folk-lore.  The  rocks,  infinitely  varied  as  they  are,  are  compounded  of 
but  few  elementary  substances  ;  the  mass  of  folk-tales  is  reducible  in 
essential  details  to  a  few  incidents.  They  are  what  the  chemist  terms 
allotropic,  as  in  the  case  of  the  diamond  and  charcoal,  built  up  of  the 
same  substances,  but   in    such  varying  molecular  arrangement  that 


THE  PHILOSOPHY  OF  PUNCHKIN.  '291 

whilst  the  one  is  a  priceless  gem  the  other  is  "  trodden  under  foot  of 
men."  And  in  their  identity  of  material  a  witness  is  brought  to  the 
like  behaviour  and  attitude  of  the  mind  at  corresponding  planes  of 
culture,  to  the  like  explanations  of  common  phenomena  which  it 
then  gives. 

In  this  view  we  do  well,  I  think,  on  occasions  when  the  members 
assemble,  to  take  stock,  as  it  were,  and  inquire  to  what  larger  result 
the  labours  of  the  student  of  folk-lore  tend — what  generalisations 
may  be  deduced  from  the  evidence  which  he  has  collected.  An 
attitude  like  this  is  possible  only  when  we  regard  our  mission  as  a 
serious  one  ;  when  we  recognise  that  there  is  some  larger  meaning  than 
lies  on  the  surface  of  the  material,  some  deeper  thought  at  the  heart 
of  it.  So  long  as  the  folk-tale  was  looked  upon  as  the  vagrant  of 
fancy,  sober  treatment  of  it  was  not  possible.  But  now  that  it,  with 
its  allied  forms  of  legend  and  tradition,  are  seen  to  be  necessary 
products  of  human  imagination  and  speculation  in  their  efforts  towards 
certitude,  the  study  and  comparison  of  its  varied,  yet,  at  centre,  related 
specimens,  takes  rank  among  the  inquiries  of  our  time  to  be  prosecuted 
on  strictly  scientific  lines. 

Guided  by  this  spirit  I  venture  to  ask  you  to  consider  with  me  what 
philosophy  of  man's  in  the  past  may  possibly  be  extracted  from  a 
group  of  allied  stories  not  unfamiliar  to  the  student  of  folk-tales,  and 
to  which  the  name  of  Punchkin,  as  the  title  of  one  of  the  older 
specimens,  may  be  generically  given.  It  will  be  convenient  to  present 
an  outline  of  the  more  prominent  variants,  and  then,  after  indicating 
how  widespread  are  the  several  members  of  the  group,  suggest  those 
conclusions  which  it  appears  to  me  may  legitimately  be  drawn  from  at 
least  one  incident  common  to  the  whole. 

In  the  story  of  "Punchkin,"  given  in  Miss  Frere's  Old  Deccan 
DaySy  a  Rajah  has  seven  daughters,  and,  his  wife  dying  when  they 
were  quite  children,  he  man-ied  the  widow  of  his  prime  minister.  The 
children  had  treated  her  harshly  in  her  time  of  need,  and  to  escape  her 
revenge  they  ran  off  to  a  jungle,  where  seven  neighbouring  princes  who 
were  out  hunting  found  them,  and  each  took  one  of  them  to  wife. 
After  a  time  the  husbands  again  went  hunting,  and  did  not  return. 
So  when  the  son  of  the  youngest  princess,  who  had  also  been  enchanted 

U  2 


292  THE  PHILOSOPHY  OF  PUNCHKIN. 

5iw3,y,  grew  up,  he  set  out  in  search  of  his  mother  and  father  and 
uncles,  and  at  last  discovered  that  the  seven  princes  had  been  turned 
into  stone  by  the  magician  Punchkin,  who  had  shut  up  the  princess 
in  a  tower  because  she  would  not  marry  him.  Recognising  her  son  by 
a  ring,  she  plotted  with  him  to  feign  agreement  to  marry  Punchkin  if 
he  would  tell  her  where  the  secret  of  his  life  was  hidden.  Overjoyed 
at  her  yielding  to  his  desire,  the  magician  told  her  that  it  was  true  he 
was  not  as  others.  "  Far,  far  away,  hundreds  of  thousands  of  miles 
from  this,  there  lies  a  desolate  country  covered  with  thick  jungle.  In 
the  midst  of  the  jungle  grows  a  circle  of  palm-trees,  and  in  the  centre 
of  the  circle  stands  six  chattees  full  of  water,  piled  one  above  another  ; 
below  the  sixth  chattee  is  a  small  cage,  which  contains  a  little  green 
parrot ;  on  the  life  of  the  parrot  depends  my  life,  and  if  the  parrot  is 
killed  I  must  die."  But,  he  added,  this  was  not  possible,  because 
thousands  of  genii  "  surround  the  palm-trees,  and  kill  all  who  approach 
the  place."  The  princess  told  her  son  this,  and  he  set  forth  on  his 
journey  to  the  jungle.  On  the  way  he  rescued  some  young  eagles  from 
a  serpent,  and  the  grateful  birds  carried  him  until  they  reached  the 
jungle,  where,  the  genii  being  overcome  with  sleep  by  the  heat,  the 
eagles  swooped  down.  "  Down  jumped  the  prince ;  in  an  instant  he 
bad  overthrown  the  chattees  full  of  water,  and  seized  the  parrot,  which 
he  rolled  up  in  his  cloak,"  then  mounted  again  into  the  air,  and  was 
carried  back  to  Punchkin's  palace.  Punchkin  was  dismayed  to  see 
the  parrot  in  the  prince's  hands,  and  asked  him  to  name  any  price  he 
willed  for  it ;  whereupon  the  prince  demanded  the  restoration  of  his 
father  and  uncles  to  life.  This  was  done.  Then  he  insisted  on 
Punchkin  doing  the  like  to  all  whom  he  had  thus  imprisoned,  when, 
at  the  raising  of  the  magician's  wand,  the  whole  garden  became 
suddenly  alive. 

"  Give  me  my  parrot  I  "  cried  Punchkin.  Then  the  boy  took  hold 
of  the  bird  and  tore  oflf  one  of  its  wings  ;  and,  as  he  did  so,  the 
magician's  right  arm  fell  off.  He  then  pulled  off  the  parrot's  second 
wing,  and  Punchkin's  left  arm  fell  off:  then  he  pulled  off  the  legs, 
and  down  fell  the  magician's  right  leg  and  left  leg.  Nothing  remained 
of  him  save  the  limbless  body  and  the  head  ;  but  still  he  rolled  his 
eyes  and  cried  "  Give  me  my  parrot ! "     "  Take  your  parrot,  then," 


THE  PHILOSOPHY  OF  PUNCHKIN.  293 

cried  the  boy ;  and  with  that  he  wrung  the  bird's  neck,  and  threw  it 
at  the  magician,  and,  as  he  did  so,  Punchkin's  head  twisted  round,  and, 
with  a  fearful  groan,  he  died.  Of  course  all  the  other  characters 
"  lived  very  happily  ever  afterwards,"  as  they  do  in  the  plays  and  the 
novels. 

In  the  stories  of  *'  Chundun  Rajah  "  and  of  "  Sodewa  Bai  "  (the 
latter  corresponding  to  the  Cinderella  group),  in  the  same  collection, 
the  dependence  of  life  upon  the  retention  or  removal  of  a  sacred 
necklace  which  holds  the  soul  is  a  main  incident.  When  the  ranee, 
jealous  of  her  husband's  love  for  Sodewa  Bai,  asks  her  why  she  always 
wears  the  same  golden  beads,  she  replies, — "  I  was  born  with  these 
beads  round  my  neck,  and  the  wise  men  told  my  father  and  mother 
that  they  contained  my  soul,  and  that  if  any  one  else  wore  them  I 
should  die."  The  ranee  instructs  her  servant  to  steal  the  beads  from 
the  princess  while  she  sleeps  ;  whereupon  she  dies,  but  her  body  does 
not  decay,  and  in  the  end  she  is  restored  to  life  by  the  recovery  of 
her  necklace. 

A  not  unlike  idea  occurs  in  the  story  of  "  Truth's  Triumph."  The 
children  of  a  village  beauty,  whom  the  rajah  had  married,  are  changed 
into  mango-trees,  to  save  them  from  the  fury  of  the  jealous  ranee, 
until  the  time  of  danger  was  passed. 

In  Miss  Stokes's  collection  of  Indian  Fairy  Tales  we  have 
variants  corresponding  more  closely  to  Punchkin.  In  "  Brave 
Hiralalbasa,"  a  rakshas  (the  common  name  for  demon,  or  ogre,  but 
sometimes  used  as  a  euphemism  for  protection)  is  induced  by  female 
wiles,  not  unfamiliar  to  the  daughters  of  Eve,  to  reveal  the  secret  of 
his  life.  "  Sixteen  miles  away  from  this  place  is  a  tree ;  round  the 
tree  are  tigers  and  bears,  and  scorpions  and  snakes  ;  on  the  top  of  the 
tree  is  a  very  great  flat  snake ;  on  his  head  is  a  little  cage ;  in  that 
cage  is  a  bird,  and  my  soul  is  in  that  bird."  By  enchantment 
Hiralalbasa  reaches  the  tree  and  "took  the  little  cage,  and  came 
down  again.  Though  the  rakshas  was  far  off  he  knew  at  once  that 
something  had  happened  to  his  bird.  Hiralal  pulled  off  the  bird's 
right  leg,  and  the  rakshas's  right  leg  fell  off,  but  on  he  hopped  on  one 
leg.  Then  the  rajah's  son  pulled  off  the  bird's  left  leg,  and  off  fell 
the  rakshas's  left  leg,  but  still  he  went  on  towards  his  house  on  his 


294  THE  PIIILOSOniY  OF  TUNCHKIN. 

hands.  Then  Hiruljil  pnllcd  off  the  bird's  wings,  and  the  rakslias's 
two  arms  fell  off.  And  then,  just  as  the  rakshas  reached  the  door 
of  his  house,  Hiralal  wrung  the  bird's  neck,  and  the  rakshas  fell 
dead." 

In  the  tale  of  "  The  Demon  and  the  King's  Son,"  also  from  Miss 
Stokes's  collection,  the  prince  falls  in  love  with  the  monster's  daughter, 
who  is  dead  all  day  and  alive  all  night  through  her  father's  magic 
power.  The  prince  says  to  her, — "  Suppose  one  day  your  father  made 
you  dead,  as  usual,  and  that  he  was  killed  before  he  had  brought  you 
to  life,  what  would  you  do?  You  would  always  be  dead  then." 
"  Listen,"  she  said ;  "  no  one  can  kill  my  father."  "  Why  not  ?"  said 
the  boy.  "  Listen,"  she  answered.  "On  the  other  side  of  the  sea 
there  is  a  great  tree  ;  in  that  tree  is  a  nest,  in  the  nest  is  a  maind  (or 
starling).  If  any  one  kills  that  maind,  then  only  will  my  father  die. 
And  if,  when  the  maind  is  killed,  its  blood  falls  to  the  ground,  a 
hundred  demons  would  be  bom  from  the  blood.  This  is  why  my 
father  cannot  be  killed."  By  the  aid  of  a  fakir  the  prince  crossed  the 
sea,  climbed  the  tree  and  took  down  the  nest.  "  The  demon,  who' 
was  far  away,  knew  it  at  once,  and  said  to  himself,  '  Some  one  has 
come  to  catch  and  kill  me.' "  He  set  out  at  once  for  the  tree.  The 
prince  saw  him  coming,  so  he  wrapped  the  7naind  up  in  his  handker- 
chief, that  no  blood  should  fall  to  the  ground.  Then  he  broke  off  one 
of  its  legs,  and  one  of  the  demon's  legs  fell  ofif.  Still  the  demon  came 
on.  Then  he  broke  off  the  other  leg,  but  the  demon  walked  on  his 
hands.  The  boy  saw  him  come  nearer  and  nearer,  so  he  wrung  the 
bird's  head  off,  and  the  demon  fell  dead. 

In  the  Rev.  Behari  Day's  recently  issued  Bengali  Folk-Tales  under 
the  head  of  "Life's  Secret,"  a  rajah's  favourite  wife  gives  birth, 
miraculously,  to  a  boy,  whose  soul  is  bound  up  in  a  necklace  in  the 
stomach  of  a  boal-fish.  In  this  instance,  as  in  that  of  Sodcwa  Bai, 
the  jewel  is  stolen,  and  while  worn  by  the  thief  the  prince  is  lifeless, 
but  he  returns  to  consciousness  with  the  recovery  of  his  necklace. 

Before  passing  from  India  one  felt  curious  to  know  whether  tales  at 
all  corresponding  to  these  exist  in  the  Buddhist  birth-stories.  My 
friend  Dr.  Rhys  Davids  informs  mo  that  they  do  not,  because  the  idea 
of  a  soul,  whether  in  the  body  or  dwelling  in  something  outside  it,  is 


THE  PHILOSOPHY  OF  PUNCHKIN.  295 

quite  foreign  to  the  philosophy  which  the  Jdtakas  teach.  The  nearest 
approach  is  when  in  one  or  two  isolated  cases  the  karma  of  a  human 
hcing  is  spoken  of  as  immediately  transferred  to  an  animal. 

Turning  to  the  ITorseland  tales,  the  one  in  most  striking  corre- 
spondence with  the  Punchkin  group  is  that  of  "  The  Giant  who  had 
no  heart  in  his  body."  This  monster  turns  six  princes  and  their  wives 
into  stone,  whereupon  the  seventh  and  only  surviving  son,  Boots,  sets 
out  to  avenge  their  fate.  On  his  journey  he  saves  the  lives  of  a  raven, 
a  salmon,  and  a  wolf ;  and  the  wolf,  having  eaten  his  horse,  compen- 
sates Boots  by  carrying  him  to  the  giant's  castle,  where  the  lovely 
princess  who  is  to  be  his  bride  is  confined.  She  promises  to  find  out 
where  the  giant  keeps  his  heart ;  and  by  blandishments  and  divers 
arts  known  to  the  fair  sex  both  before  and  since  the  time  of  Delilah 
she  worms  out  the  secret.  He  tells  her  that  "  far,  far  away,  in  a  lake 
lies  an  island,  on  that  island  stands  a  church,  in  that  church  is  a  well, 
in  that  well  swims  a  duck,  in  that  duck  is  an  egg,  and  in  that  egg  lies 
my  heart,  you  darling  !  "  Boots,  taking  fond  farewell  of  the  princess, 
rides  on  the  wolf's  back  to  the  island.  Then  the  raven  he  had 
befriended  flies  to  the  steeple  and  fetches  the  key  of  the  church  ;  the 
salmon,  in  like  return  for  kindness,  brings  him  the  egg  from  the  well 
where  the  duck  had  dropped  it.  Then  the  wolf  told  him  to  squeeze 
the  egg,  and  as  soon  as  ever  he  did  so  the  giant  screamed  out. 
"  Squeeze  it  again,"  said  the  wolf  ;  and  when  the  prince  did  so  the 
giant  screamed  still  more  piteously,  and  begged  and  prayed  so  prettily 
to  be  spared,  saying  he  would  do  all  that  the  prince  wished  if  he 
would  only  not  squeeze  his  heart  in  two.  "  Tell  him  if  he  will  restore 
to  life  again  your  six  brothers  and  their  brides  you  will  spare  his  life,'* 
said  the  wolf.  Yes,  the  giant  was  ready  to  do  that,  and  he  turned  the 
six  brothers  into  king's  sons  again  and  their  brides  into  king's  daugh- 
ters. "  Now  squeeze  the  egg  in  two,"  said  the  wolf.  With  ques- 
tionable morality,  doing  evil  that  good  might  come.  Boots  squeezed 
the  egg  to  pieces,  and  the  giant  burst  at  once. 

Asbjornsen's  "  New  Series  "  gives  a  variant  in  which  a  troll  who 
has  seized  a  princess  tells  her  that  he  and  all  his  companions  will 
burst,  as  did  the  Heartless  Giant,  when  there  passes  above  them  **  the 
grain  of  sand  that  lies  under  the  ninth  tongue  in  the  ninth  head  "  of 


296  THE  PHILOSOPHY  OF  PUNCHKIN. 

a  certain  dead  dragon.  Tlic  grain  of  sand  is  found  and  passed  OYor 
thcni,  wlien  the  troll  and  all  his  brood  are  destroyed. 

In  the  Gaelic  stories,  for  which  we  are  indebted  to  the  skill  of  an 
early  worker  in  this  field,  Mr.  J.  F.  Campbell,  that  of  the  young 
King  of  Easaidh  Ruadh,  locates  the  secret  thus :  "  There  is  a  great 
flagstone  under  the  threshold.  There  is  a  wether  under  the  flag. 
There  is  a  duck  in  the  wether's  belly  and  an  egg  in  the  belly  of  the 
duck,  and  it  is  in  the  egg  that  my  soul  is."  In  "the  Sea  Maiden  " 
there  is  a  "  great  beast  with  three  heads  "  which  cannot  be  killed  until 
an  egg  is  broken  which  is  in  the  mouth  of  a  trout,  which  springs  out 
of  a  crotv,  which  flies  out  of  a  hind,  which  lives  on  an  island  in  the 
middle  of  the  loch. 

In  his  valuable  collection  of  Russian  Folk-Tales^  which  is 
enriched  by  comparative  notes,  Mr.  Ralston  supplies  some  interesting 
variants  of  Punchkin.  Koshchei,  called  **  the  immortal  or  deathless,*' 
is  merely  one  of  the  many  incarnations  of  the  dark  spirit  which  takes 
so  many  monstrous  shapes  in  folk-tales.  Sometimes  his  death — that 
is,  the  object  with  which  his  life  is  indissolubly  connected — does  exist 
within  his  body.  In  one  story  he  carries  off  a  queen,  of  whom  her 
three  sons  go  in  search  one  after  the  other.  The  elder  two  did  not 
return,  so  that  the  father  was  reluctant  to  part  with  Prince  Ivan,  the 
youngest,  but  at  last  gave  him  his  blessing,  and  sent  him  on  his  sad 
eiTand.  He  at  last  discovers  the  house  where  his  mother  dwells,  and 
at  the  approach  of  Koshchei  the  mother  hid  away  her  son.  With 
the  acute  sense  of  smell  characteristic  of  the  race  the  monster  sniffs 
"  the  blood  of  a  "  Russian,  and  cries  out,  "  Who  has  been  with  you? 
Wasn't  it  your  son?  "  "  What  are  you  talking  about  ?  God  bless 
you  !  You've  been  flying  through  Russia  and  got  the  Russian  air  up 
your  nostrils,  that's  why  you  fancy  it's  here,"  answered  Prince  Ivan's 
mother,  and  then  she  drew  nigh  to  Koshchei,  addressed  him  in  terms 
of  affection,  asked  him  about  one  thing  and  another,  and  at  last 
said :  **  Whereabouts  is  your  death,  O  Koshchei  ?  "  "  My  death," 
he  replied,  "  is  in  such  and  such  a  place.  There  stands  an  oak,  and 
under  the  oak  is  a  casket,  and  in  the  casket  is  a  hare,  and  in  the 
hare  is  a  duck,  and  in  the  duck  is  an  egg^  and  in  the  egg  is  my  death." 
After  sundry  adventures   Prince   Ivan  gets  hold  of  the  egg^  loses 


THE  PHILOSOPHY  OF  PUNCHKIN.  297 

it  in  the  deep  sea,  recovers  it,  and  takes  it  to  his  mother's.  When 
he  got  there  they  greeted  each  other  lovingly,  and  then  she  hid  him 
again  as  before.  Presently  in  flew  Koshchei  the  deathless  and  said  : 
"  Phoo !  phoo !  No  Russian  bone  can  the  ear  hear  or  the  eye  see, 
but  there's  a  smell  of  Russia  here."  "  What  are  you  talking  about, 
Koshchei  ?  There's  no  one  with  me,"  replied  Prince  Ivan's  mother. 
A  second  time  spake  Koshchei  and  said,  "  I  feel  rather  unwell."  Then 
Prince  Ivan  began  squeezing  the  eggj  and  therefore  Koshchei  the 
deathless  bent  double.  At  last  Prince  Ivan  came  out  from  his  hiding- 
place,  held  up  the  egg  and  said,  "  There  is  your  death,  0  Koshchei 
the  deathless!  "  Then  Koshchei  fell  on  his  knees  before  him,  saying, 
"  Don't  kill  me,  Prince  Ivan,  let's  be  friends  ;  all  the  world  will  lie  at 
our  feet."  But  these  words  had  no  weight  with  Prince  Ivan ;  he 
smashed  the  egg  and  Koshchei  the  deathless  died. 

In  another  story  Koshchei  is  killed  by  a  blow  on  the  forehead, 
inflicted  "  by  the  mysterious  egg,  that  last  link  in  the  magic  chain  by 
which  his  life  is  darkly  bound."  While  upon  this  subject  Mr.  Ralston 
quotes  a  Transylvanian-Saxon  story  concerning  a  witch's  life,  which  is 
a  light  burning  in  an  egg  inside  a  duck,  which  swims  on  a  pond  inside 
a  mountain,  and  she  dies  when  it  is  put  out.  In  the  Bohemian  story 
of  *'The  Sun-horse,"  a  warlock's  strength  lies  in  an  egg  which  is 
within  the  duck,  which  is  within  a  stag,  which  is  under  a  tree.  A 
seer  finds  the  egg  and  sucks  it.  Then  the  warlock  becomes  as  weak 
as  a  child,  "  for  all  his  strength  had  passed  into  the  seer." 

In  Serbian  folk-tales  the  strength  of  a  baleful  being  who  had  stolen 
a  princess  lies  in  a  bird,  which  is  inside  the  heart  of  a  fox  ;  and,  when 
the  bird  was  taken  out  of  the  heart  and  set  on  fire,  that  moment  the 
wife-stealer  falls  down  dead,  and  the  prince  regains  his  bride. 

From  the  same  source  we  have  the  story  of  "  The  golden-haired 
Twins,"  with  an  incident  akin  to  that  occurring  in  Punchkin.  When 
the  stepmother  of  the  king  buries  the  two  twins  whom  she  had  stolen 
from  their  cradle  there  spring  from  the  spot  where  they  lie  living  trees 
with  golden  leaves  and  golden  blossoms.  The  king's  admiration  of 
them  aroused  her  jealousy,  and  she  had  them  cut  down;  but  in  the 
long  run  his  golden-haired  princes  are  restored  to  him. 

Thus  far  my  illustrations,  which  could  be  multiplied  largely,  have  been 


298  THE  PHILOSOPHY  OF  PUNCHKIN. 

drawn  solely  from  the  folk-tales  of  the  wide-spread  Indo-European  races, 
and  we  may  pause  to  note  that  the  likeness  running  through  these,  as 
through  other  groups,  is  explicable  on  no  theory  of  borrowing,  and 
finds  its  sole  and  rational  explanation  in  the  possession  of  a  common 
stock  of  folk-lore  by  the  several  ancestors  of  the  Aryan  race.  After 
allowing  for  local  colouring  and  for  changes  incident  to  the  lapse  of 
time,  they  are  the  variants  of  stories  related  to  children  in  the  Aryan 
fatherland  at  a  period  historically  remote,  and  moreover  are  told  in 
words  which  are  phonetically  aldn. 

Turning  for  a  moment  or  two  to  non- Aryan  sources,  we  have  the 
Tatar  story  of  the  demon-giant  who  could  not  be  slain,  for  he  did  not 
keep  his  soul  in  his  body,  but  in  a  twelve-headed  snake  carried  in  a 
bag  on  his  horse's  back.  The  hero  finds  out  the  secret,  kills  the 
snake,  and  then  the  giant  dies  too.  In  one  of  the  Samoyed  tales  a 
man  had  no  heart  in  his  body,  and  could  recover  it  only  on  restoring 
to  life  the  mother  of  him  whom  he  had  killed.  Then  the  man  said  to 
his  wife  :  "  Go  to  the  place  where  the  dead  lies ;  there  you  will  find 
a  purse,  in  that  purse  is  her  soul,  shake  the  purse  over  her  bones  and  ' 
she  will  fcome  to  life."  The  woman  did  as  she  was  ordered,  and  the 
mother  of  the  Samoyed  revived;  then  he  dashed  the  heart  to  the 
ground,  and  the  man  died. 

More  elaborate  than  these  however  are  the  stories  from  The 
Thousand  and  One  Nights,  as  those  of  the  Princess  Parizade  and  of 
Seyf-el-Mulook  and  Bedua-el-.Temal.  In  this  latter  tale,  when  Seyf- 
el-Mulook  would  flee  with  Dolet-Khdtoon,  she  replies,  "  By  Allah  I 
we  cannot  do  that.  If  we  fled  to  the  distance  of  a  year's  joiu-ney 
this  accursed  wretch  (speaking  of  Jinni)  would  bring  us  back  imme- 
diately, and  he  would  destroy  us."  So  Seyf-el-Mulook  said,  **  I  will 
hide  myself  in  a  place,  and  when  he  passeth  by  me  I  will  smite  him 
with  a  sword  and  slay  him."  But  she  replied,  "  Thou  canst  not  slay 
him  unless  thou  kill  his  soul."  "  And  in  what  place,"  said  he,  "is  his 
soul  ?  "  She  answered,  "  I  asked  him  respecting  it  many  times,  but 
he  would  not  confess  to  me  its  place.  It  happened  however  that  I 
urged  him  one  day,  and  he  was  enraged  against  me,  and  said  to  me, 
*  How  often  wilt  thou  ask  me  respecting  my  soul  ?  What  is  the 
reason  of  thy  question  respecting  my  soul? '     So  I  answered  him, 


THE  PHILOSOPHY  OF  PUNCHKIN.  299 

*  O  Halim,  there  remaineth  to  me  no  one  but  thco,  except  God,  and  I 
as  long  as  I  live  would  not  cease  to  hold  thy  soul  in  my  embrace;  and 
if  I  do  not  take  care  of  thy  soul  and  put  it  in  the  midst  of  my  eye 
how  can  I  live  after  thee  ?  If  I  knew  thy  soul  I  would  take  care  of 
it,  as  of  my  right  eye.'  And  thereupon  he  said  to  me,  *  When  I  was 
born  the  astrologers  declared  that  the  destruction  of  my  soul  would  bo 
effected  by  the  hand  of  one  of  the  sons  of  the  human  kings.  I  there- 
fore took  my  soul  and  put  it  into  the  crop  of  a  sparrow,  and  I  impri- 
soned the  sparrow  in  a  little  box,  and  put  this  into  another  small  box, 
and  this  I  put  within  seven  chests,  and  the  chests  I  put  into  a  copper 
of  marble  within  the  verge  of  this  circumambient  ocean ;  for  this  part 
is  remote  from  the  countries  of  mankind,  and  none  of  mankind  can 
gain  access  to  it.  Now  1  have  told  thee,  and  tell  not  thou  any  one  of 
this,  for  it  is  a  secret  between  me  and  thee.'  "  By  the  aid  of  Suleyman's 
seal-ring  Seyf-el-Mulook  raised  the  cofifer,  and,  taking  forth  the 
sparrow  from  the  little  box,  strangles  it  and  it  dies,  the  body  of  the 
Jinni  falling  upon  the  ground  a  heap  of  black  ashes.  In  some  tales 
not  included  by  Galland  or  Lane,  which  Mr.  Kirby  of  the  British 
Museum  has  translated  and  edited  under  the  title  of  the  New 
Arabian  JSights^  we  have  a  variant  of  the  above  under  the  title  of 
"  Joadar  of  Cairo  and  Mahmood  of  Tunnis."  Joadar  is  bent  on  the 
release  of  his  enchanted  betrothed,  and  this  he  achieves  by  also 
strangling  a  sparrow,  the  ogre  of  the  story  being  simultaneously 
dissolved  into  a  heap  of  ashes. 

But  the  most  venerable  illustration  of  the  leading  idea  in  the 
Punchkin  group  is  found,  although  in  more  subtle  form,  in  the 
Egyptian  tale  of  "  The  Two  Brothers."  This  is  contained  in  the 
papyrus  known  as  the  d'Orbiney,  first  described  by  the  Vicomte  de 
Roug^,  and  supposed  to  be  of  the  fourteenth  century  b.c.  Summaries 
of  this  are  given  by  Mr.  Goodwin  in  Cambridge  Essays  for  1858,  and 
by  Professor  Mahafify  in  his  Prolegomena  to  Ancient  History,  pp.  331  ff. 
These  summaries  must,  for  the  present  purpose,  be  epitomised.  There 
were  two  brothers,  Anepou  and  Satou,  joined  as  one  in  love  and 
labour.  One  day  Satou  was  sent  to  fetch  seed-corn  from  Anepou's 
house,  when  he  found  his  brother's  wife  adorning  her  hair.  She  urged 
him  to  stay  with  her,  but  he  refused,  promising  however  to  keep  her 


300  THE  PHILOSOPHY  OF  PUNCHKIN. 

wicked  invitation  secret.  When  Anepoii  returned  at  even,  she,  being 
afraid,  made  herself  to  seem  as  a  woman  that  had  suffered  violence, 
and  told  lier  husband  exactly  the  reverse  of  what  had  happened.  His 
wrath  was  thereby  kindled  against  Satou  and  he  went  out  to  slay  him, 
but  Satou  called  on  Phra  to  save  him,  and  the  god  placed  a  river 
between  the  brothers,  so  that  when  day  dawned  Anepou  might  hear 
the  truth.  At  sunrise  Satou  tells  his  story,  and,  mutilating  himself, 
he  says  that  he  will  leave  Anepou  and  go  to  the  valley  of  the  cedar, 
in  the  cones  of  which  he  will  deposit  his  heart,  "  so  that  if  the  tree  be 
cut  his  heart  would  fall  to  the  earth  and  he  must  die."  He  then  tells 
Anepou  how  to  find  and  revivify  his  heart  after  seven  years,  and 
departs.    Anepou  going  home  slays  his  wife  and  casts  her  to  the  dogs. 

In  the  second  part  of  the  story  Satou  marries  a  woman  given  him 
by  the  gods,  but  her  beauty  causes  the  king  to  covet  and  possess  her, 
and  she  tries  to  get  rid  of  Satou  in  vain.  The  king  cuts  the  cedar 
down  and  Satou  dies,  but  Anepou  finds  his  heart  under  a  pod  or  cone 
and  revivifies  it.  Satou  then  assumes  the  form  of  the  Apis  bull  and. 
gets  the  chance  of  speaking  to  his  wife.  She,  terrified,  has  the  bull 
slain,  and  from  two  drops  of  his  blood  spring  two  fine  persea-trees  on 
the  great  staircase  of  the  palace.  One  day  one  of  the  trees  addresses 
her,  and  she  persuades  the  king  to  cut  it  down,  when  a  chip  of  it  flies 
down  her  throat  and  she  becomes  the  mother  of  a  child  who  is  really 
Satou  in  a  new  form.  "  In  due  time  the  king  flew  up  to  heaven  "  ; 
then  Satou,  as  his  successor,  executes  the  queen  and  lives  happily 
with  Anepou. 

What,  let  us  now  ask,  is  the  philosophy  of  Punchkin  ?  These  folk- 
tales, however  romantic, — however,  in  their  details,  the  product  of 
imagination  that  ran  riot  when  feeling  was  dominant  and  the  judgment 
scarce  awakened,  when  the  first  impressions  of  phenomena  were  un- 
challenged by  the  intellect,— are  not  primary.  'Tis  a  far  cry  from  the 
primitive  man  to  the  first  story-teller.  And  at  the  back  of  the  world's 
folk-tales  lie  the  relics  of  barbaric  notions  concerning  the  nature  of 
man  and  his  relation  to  external  things  which  first  supplied  the  motif 
or  raw  material  of  the  fiction.  They  are  therefore  the  dramatic 
presentment  of  that  eaily  groping  when  man  was,  as  his  savage  repre- 
sentatives extant  arc,  in  a  state  of  **fog"  concerning  the  nature  and 


THE  PHILOSOPHY  OF  PUNCHKIN.  301 

relation  of  what  is  in  the  mind  to  what  is  outside  it ;  when  he  has 
notliiug  in  his  slender  vocabulary  corresponding  to  the  terms  ''  objec- 
tive "  and  ''  subjective."  Mr.  Spencer  aptly  describes  this  low  mental 
stage  in  his  Principles  of  Sociology  : — "  He  does  not  think  about 
thought  :  neither  his  faculties  nor  his  language  suffice  for  this. 
During  early  stages  he  merely  thinks  without  observing  that  he 
thinks ;  and  therefore  never  asks  how  he  thinks  and  what  it  is  which 
thinks.  His  senses  make  him  conversant  only  with  things  externally 
existing  and  with  his  own  body  ;  and  he  transcends  his  senses  only 
far  enough  to  draw  coiKrete  inferences  respecting  the  actions  of  these 
things.  An  invisible,  intangible  entity,  such  as  mind  is  inferred  to 
be,  is  a  high  abstraction  unthinkable  by  him,  and  inexpressible  by  his 
vocabulary."     (P.  147.) 

These  tales  thus  embody  that  early  system  of  thought,  if  system  it 
can  be  called,  which  confuses  ideas  and  objects,  illusions  and  realities, 
substances  and  shadows;  and  which,  often  under  the  precarious  life  of  the 
savage,  induced  by  bodily  ailment,  indigestion  born  of  gorging,  or 
delirium  born  of  starving,  gives  local  habitation  and  a  name  to  airy 
nothings,  spectres  of  diseased  or  morbid  imagination.  Modern  works 
on  anthropology  abound  with  illustrations  of  that  confusion  between 
things  and  their  symbols  which  causes  men  at  low  levels  of  culture  to 
regard  the  name  as  an  integral  part  of  oneself,  so  that  it  must  not  be 
told,  lest  it  be  stolen,  or  lest  the  adversary  work  evil  charms  through 
it.  Still  more  noticeable  is  this  confusion  in  the  reluctance  of  bar- 
barous folk  to  have  their  portraits  taken,  in  the  feeling  that  thereby 
part  of  a  man's  self  has  gone  ;  the  better  the  likeness  the  more  has 
virtue  gone  out  of  him.  Catlin  relates  that  he  caused  great  commo- 
tion among  the  Sioux  by  drawing  one  of  their  chiefs  in  profile. 
**  Why  was  half  his  face  left  out  ?  "  they  asked  ;  "  Mahtocheega  was 
never  ashamed  to  look  a  white  man  in  the  face."  The  chief  himself 
did  not  take  offence,  but  Shouka  the  Dog  taunted  him,  saying, — "  The 
Englishman  knows  that  you  are  but  half  a  man :  he  has  painted  but 
one-half  of  your  face,  and  knows  that  the  rest  is  good  for  nothing." 
This  led  to  a  quarrel,  and  in  the  end  Mahtocheega  was  shot,  the  fatal 
bullet  tearing  away  just  that  part  of  the  face  which  Catlin  had  not 
drawn !     He  had  to  make  his  escape,  and  the  matter  was  not  settled 


302  THE  PHILOSOPHY  OF  PUNCHKIN. 

till  both  Shouka  and  his  brother  had  been  killed  in  revenge  for  Mah- 
tocheega's  death. 

Such  general  statements  as  the  foregoing  concerning  the  low  intel- 
lectual stage  of  the  savage  may  clear  the  way  in  showing  how  he  will 
interpret  phenomena  of  a  more  complex  order,  and  why  he  can  inter- 
pret them  only  in  one  way.  The  central  idea  of  the  Punchkin  group 
of  stories  is  the  dwelling  apart  of  the  soul  or  heart,  as  the  seat  of 
life,  from  the  body,  in  some  secret  place  in  some  animate  or  inani- 
mate thing,  often  an  egg  or  a  bird,  sometimes  a  tree,  flower,  or 
necklace,  the  fate  of  the  one  involving  the  fate  of  the  other.  Now, 
stripped  of  all  local  additions  and  detail,  this  notion  of  the  soul 
existing  apart  from  the  body  and  determining  its  fortunes  is  the 
survival  of  primitive  belief  in  one  or  more  entities  in  the  body,  yet  not 
of  it,  which  may  leave  that  body  at  will  during  life,  and  which  per- 
chance leaves  it  finally,  to  return  not,  at  death. 

It  is  now  generally  admitted  that  this  belief  is  referable  to  the 
interpretation  of  dreams  by  the  barbaric  mind  as  real  events.  They 
are  of  the  precise  character  to  excite  and  sustain  that  feeling  of 
mystery  which  attends  every  endeavour  of  man  to  interpret  the 
meaning  of  his  surroundings.  Whilst  for  us  they  fill  an  empty 
moment  in  the  telling,  albeit  now  and  again  nourishing  such  remains 
of  superstition  as  cling  to  the  majority  of  us,  they  are  to  the  savage 
as  solid  as  the  experiences  of  his  waking  moments,  true  not  only 
"  while  they  last,"  but  for  ever  aftenvards.  The  limits  of  his  lan- 
guage only  accentuate  the  confusion  within  him  when  he  tries  to  tell 
what  he  has  seen,  and  heard,  and  felt,  and  where  he  has  been,  for 
the  speech  cannot  transcend  the  thought,  and  therefore  can  represent 
neither  to  himself  nor  to  others  the  difference  between  the  illusions  of 
the  night  and  the  realities  of  the  day.  The  dead  relations  and  friends 
who  appear  in  dreams  and  live  their  old  life,  with  whom  he  joins  in  the 
battle  or  the  chase,  with  whom,  the  toils  over,  he  sits  down  to  feast, 
not  like  the  Psalmist  in  the  presence  of  his  enemies,  but  on  succulent 
slices  of  the  enemies  themselves  ;  the  foes  with  whom  ho  struggles  ; 
the  wild  beasts  from  whom  he  flees,  or  in  whose  grip  he  feels  himself  ; 
the  long  distances  he  travels  to  dream-lands  beyond  and  above — are  all 
real,  and  no  "  baseless  fabric  of  a  vision."     The  inference  drawn  there- 


THE  PHILOSOPHY  OF  PUNCHKIN.  303 

from  is  clear.  Besides  that  waking  self  of  which  the  savage  is  hazily 
conscious  there  must  be  another  self,  which,  roaming  the  world  while 
the  body  moves  not,  sees  the  things  that  are  dreamed.  Daily  expe- 
rience, if  indeed  it  has  not  created  the  belief  in  this  phantom-self,  this 
ghost-soul,  is  ever  confirming  it.  There  are  the  suspensions  of  con- 
sciousness witnessed  in  swoon,  apoplexy,  catalepsy,  and  other  forms  of 
insensibility ;  there  are  the  phenomena  of  shadows,  of  reflection,  of 
echoes  ;  whilst  the  analogies  noticed  between  men  and  animals  enlarge 
the  belief  in  another-self  to  a  world-wide  doctrine  of  souls  in  the  lower 
animals,  indeed,  of  souls  vegetal  as  well. 

This  is  the  philosophy  which,  I  believe,  lies  at  the  heart  of  the 
Punchkin  tales.  The  passage  of  the  life -principle  from  princess  or  ogre 
to  casket  or  to  parrot  is  easy  where  imagination  creates  fellowship  not 
only  between  man  and  brute  but  between  man  and  lifeless  things  ; 
while  in  the  crediting  of  these  with  life,  with  power  to  change  their 
form  and  nature,  lies  the  germ  of  those  more  elaborate  theories  of 
transmigration  and  metempsychosis  which  have  been  developed  among 
more  or  less  civilised  peoples. 

Whether  one  be  right  or  wrong  in  this  interpretation  of  what  seems 
the  central  idea  crystallised  in  Punchkin  and  its  variants,  one  cannot 
be  at  fault  in  claiming  serious  treatment  for  the  folk-tales  of  the  world. 
In  so  far  as  they  aid  us  in  determining  what  was  the  intellectual  stage 
of  man  in  the  childhood  of  the  race,  and  how  far  it  finds  correspond- 
ences in  the  intellectual  stage  of  existing  barbaric  races,  they  are  to 
be  included  in  that  study  of  myth  which  is  neither  more  nor  less  than 
the  study  of  the  mental  and  spiritual  history  of  mankind. 

Edward  Clodd. 


304 


FOLK-TALES  OF  INDIA. 


Translated  from  the  Pali  Jataha,  oi'  Booh  of  Birth-Stories,  edited  by 
Prof.  Fausboll,  of  Copenhagen,* 


DpAMMADDHAJA   JATAKA.f 

The  Holy  Crow. 

N  days  long  gone  by,  when  Brahmadatta  reigned  at  Benares, 
the  Bodhisat  was  reborn  among  the  bird  kind.  When 
he  was  grown  up  he  had  about  him  a  retinue  of  birds, 
and  Hved  on  an  island  in  the  middle  of  the  ocean.  On 
a  time  some  merchants,  residents  of  the  Kasi  country,  were  sailing 
over  that  ocean  with  a  foreign  crow  on  board,  when  their  vessel  was 
wrecked  in  mid-ocean.  The  foreign  crow  took  refuge  on  the  aforesaid 
island  and  thought  to  itself,  "  I'll  act  craftily  towards  this  assemblage 
of  birds,  and  so  manage  to  eat  both  their  eggs  and  young  ones." 
Whereupon  he  flew  down  into  the  midst  of  the  birds,  and,  with  open 
mouth,  stood  on  the  ground  on  one  leg.  "  Who  are  you,  sir  ?  "  asked 
the  birds.  *'  I  am  a  saint,"  replied  the  crow.  "  Why  do  you  stand 
on  one  foot  ?  "  said  they.  The  crow  made  answer,  "  Were  I  to  put 
both  feet  down  the  earth  (on  account  of  my  sanctity)  would  not  bo 
able  to  support  me."  "  But  why,"  asked  the  birds,  "  do  you  stand 
with  your  mouth  wide  open  ?  "     The  crow  replied,  "  Because  I  eat  no 

*  The  Joitaka  Book  is  a  very  ancient  collection  of  Buddhist  fables,  which, 
professing  to  have  been  told  by  Gotama  Buddha,  narrate  his  exploits  in  the  550 
births  through  which  he  passed  before  attaining  enlightenment  or  Buddhahood. 
For  the  relation  of  these  tales  to  Indo-European  folk-lore  generally,  consult  Dr. 
Rhys  Davids's  Buddhist  Birth- Star iis  (Triibner  and  Co.)  and  the  translator's 
article  on  "  The  Book  of  Birth-Stories,"  Contemporary  Ri-virn;  May,  1881. 

t  Jataha  Book,  vol.  iii.  No.  384,  p.  267.  The  Bi/ara  Jataha  (to  be  given  in 
the  next  part)  contains  a  similar  story  ot  a  "  Jackal  and  Rats." 


FOLK-TALES  OP  INDIA.  305 

other  food,  but  merely  drink  in  air."  When  he  had  said  this  he 
thus  addressed  the  birds  :  **  I'll  give  you  good  advice,  listen  to  me." 
By  way  of  exhortation  he  spake  the  following  gdtha : — 

"  0  walk  in  virtue's  ways,  my  friends, 
Would  ye  your  highest  good  secure  I 
Here  may  the  virtuous  happy  be 
And  bliss  hereafter  sure  enjoy." 

Then  the  birds,  not  aware  that  the  crow  said  this  only  in  order  to 
deceive  and  eat  them,  praised  him  in  the  following  gdtha  : — 

"  0  blessed  bird  is  this  indeed, 
Adorned  with  virtue's  noblest  gifts  ! 
On  one  foot  stands  he  all  the  day. 
And  teaches  us  the  law  divine." 

The  birds,  having  the  fullest  confidence  in  that  wicked  crow,  before 
they  went  in  search  of  food  said  to  him,  "  Since,  sir,  you  take  no 
special  food  but  only  feed  upon  air,  perhaps  you'll  be  good  enough  to 
look  after  our  eggs  and  young  ones."  "  I'll  do  that,"  said  he.  As 
soon  as  they  had  gone  the  worthless  crow  ate  his  bellyful  of  eggs  and 
young  brood.  Before  they  returned  he  put  himself  straight  (as  if 
nothing  had  happened),  and,  as  before,  stood  on  one  leg  with  his  mouth 
wide  open.  When  the  birds  came  back  and  saw  not  their  young  ones 
they  made  a  great  outcry.  "  Who  on  earth  can  have  eaten  them  ?  " 
they  wondered.  Not  for  a  moment  did  they  suspect  that  this  holy 
crow  had  done  it.  But  one  day  the  Bodhisat  thought  to  himself, 
**  Formerly  we  had  no  accidents  here  with  regard  to  our  eggs  and 
young  ones,  but  since  this  outlandish  crow  came  here  we  have  not 
been  without  some  misfortune.  I  must  endeavour  to  see  if  he  is  at 
the  bottom  of  the  mischief  and  expose  him."  The  Bodhisat  pretended 
to  go  with  the  other  birds  in  search  of  food,  but  stayed  behind  and 
remained  concealed.  When  the  crow  felt  assured  that  the  birds  were  all 
gone,  he  flew  up  and  devoured  both  eggs  and  young  ones.  Returning 
to  his  former  position  he  stood  on  one  leg  with  his  mouth  open.  When 
the  birds  came  back,  their  leader  called  them  together  and  said,  '<  To- 
day I  have  found  out  the  destroyer  of  your  young  ones.  I  actually 
saw  that  wicked  crow  eating  them,  therefore  now  seize  him."  Having 
brought  up  all  the  flock  of  birds  and  surrounded  the  crow,  the  chief 

Vol.  2.— Part  10.  x 


306  FOLK-TALES  OF  INDIA. 

said,  "  If  he  tries  to  escape  yon  must  hold  him  firmly."     Then  he 
spake  the  following  gdtlia  :  — 

"  On  trust  yo  took  this  crow's  good  deeds, 
Without  due  proof  ye  sang  his  praise. 
Good  things  the  vile  crow  speaks  with  tongue, 
Yet  do  his  deeds  his  words  belie. 
The  smooth  in  words,  but  hard  in  heart. 
Like  snake  in  grass  doth  hidden  lie  ; 
Before  men's  eyes  he  virtue  flaunts, 
And  blinds  the  eyes  of  foolish  folk. 
With  beak  and  wings,  and  eke  with  feet, 
Come  strike  and  slay  this  caitiff  crow. 
As  warning  to  all  hypocrites. 
With  us  to  live  he  is  unfit." 

Thus  having  spoken  the  old  bird  himself  now  sprang  up  and  with 
his  beak  struck  the  crow  on  the  head  ;  the  rest  with  beak,  feet,  and 
wings  beat  him,  and  in  that  very  place  he  came  to  an  untimely  end. 


The  KaccAni  JItaka.* 

The  sorrows  of  a  Mother-in-law  who  thought  that  Justice  was  dead, 
and  made  Offerings  to  its  Manes. 

In  days  gone  by,  when  Bralimadatta  reigned  at  Benares,  there  lived 
a  certain  young  man  who  came  of  a  good  family  and  was  virtuously 
disposed.  On  the  death  of  his  father  he  became  his  mother's  guar- 
dian angel ;  he  took  the  greatest  care  of  her,  attended  to  all  her 
wants,  performed  for  her  the  most  menial  oflBces,  and  provided  her 
with  suitable  and  nourishing  food.  "  My  dear,"  said  his  mother  to 
him  one  day,  '<  there  are  other  duties  pertaining  to  the  master  of  the 
house  (besides  attending  to  me) ;  pray  get  a  wife  of  the  same  caste 
as  yourself;  she'll  take  care  of  me,  and  you  will  then  have  time  to 
attend  to  your  own  afifairs."  To  which  he  replied,  "  Mother,  dear,  I 
am  looking  after  my  own  interests  and  happiness  in  caring  for  you. 
Who  else,  think  you,  will  have  the  same  solicitude  for  you  as  I  ?  " 
"  That's  all  very  well,  my  son,"  said  she,  "  but  you  ought  to  do  some- 
thing to  promote  the  welfare  and  prosperity  of  your  family."     He 

♦  Jdtaka  Book,  vol.  iii.  No.  417,  p.  422. 


FOLK-TALES  OF  INDIA.  307 

replied,  "  I  want  not  to  be  troubled  with  family  cares,  so  I'll  e'en 
watch  over  you  now,  and  after  your  death  I'll  turn  monk."  The 
mother  did  not  make  her  son  change  his  mind,  nor  gain  his  con- 
sent, without  much  importunity.  At  last  her  wish  was  gratified  by 
her  son's  bringing  home  a  wife,  who,  like  himself,  was  respectably  con- 
nected, and  the  old  mother  continued  to  live  with  her  son  and 
daughter-in-law.  The  young  wife  (not  quite  satisfied  with  this 
arrangement)  bethought  herself,  "  My  spouse  is  very  attentive  to  his 
mother,  so  (to  humour  him)  I'll  wait  zealously  upon  her." 

The  husband  was  much  pleased  with  his  wife's  behaviour  and 
zealous  attention  to  his  mother,  and  brought  her  also  numerous 
little  dainties  and  delicacies  as  marks  of  his  approval.  Then  she  said 
to  herself,  "  My  husband  keeps  a  good  table  both  for  me  and  his 
mother;  I  expect  he  finds  this  expensive  and  must  be  anxious  indeed 
to  get  rid  of  the  old  dame  ;  I'll  devise  some  means  to  make  her  leave 
the  house."  Bent  upon  this  she  said  to  her  spouse,  "  Husband,  when 
you  are  away  your  mother  abuses  me."  To  this  he  made  no  reply. 
"  I'll  stir  up  this  old  woman,"  quoth  she,  "  and  make  her  disagreeable 
to  her  son."  From  that  time  forth  when  she  fed  her  mother-in-law 
she  gave  her  the  gruel  too  hot  or  too  cold,  with  too  much  salt  or  none 
at  all  in  it.  "  My  dear,"  said  the  old  lady,  "  you've  made  it  too  hot 
and  too  salty."  Then  the  other  fills  up  the  bowl  with  cold  water. 
"  Now  it's  too  cold  and  not  salt  enough !  "  she  cries.  Again  an  altera- 
tion is  made.  "  It's  too  hot  and  too  salty  now,"  says  she.  She  made 
a  great  noise  (about  it  when  her  son  came  home),  saying,  "  Who  on 
earth  will  have  the  patience  to  put  up  with  such  a  careless  creature  ?  " 

Another  time  the  naughty  young  wife  made  the  bath-water  too  hot, 
and  poured  it  down  the  old  mother's  back.  "  You've  scalded  my  back, 
child  I "  she  cried.  Then  the  other  added  cold  water.  "  Now  youVe 
made  it  too  cold,"  says  she.  "  Oh,  what  are  you  about?"  she  cries; 
"  it's  too  hot  now."  Again  she  shrieked  out,  "  You  nasty  thing !  now 
you've  made  it  icy  cold."  Whereat  she  asks  her  neighbours  whether 
any  one  but  herself  would  put  up  with  such  disrespectful  treatment. 

On  another  occasion  the  mother-in-law  complains  that  her  bed 
swarms  with  fleas,  whereupon  the  other  brings  out  the  bed  and  beats 
her  own  over  it  (and  sends  another  lot  of  fleas  into  it,  and  so  increases 

x2 


308  FOLK-TALES  OF  INDIA. 

the  pest).  The  bed  is  put  back  into  its  proper  place,  and  the  old  lady 
is  informed  that  it  has  been  well  beaten;  but  on  going  to  rest 
she  soon  found  a  worse  state  of  things  than  before,  and  she  passed 
the  whole  night  sitting  up,  like  an  eminent  devotee,  almost  eaten 
up  by  the  double  set  of  fleas.  *'  0,  my  dear  I  "  said  she  to  her 
daughter-in-law,  "  all  night  long  I  was  bitten  by  those  fleas  ;  not  a 
wink  of  sleep  did  I  get  for  them."  "  Well,"  replied  the  other, 
"  1  gave  your  bed  a  good  beating  yesterday,  more  than  once  too." 
Then  she  muttered  to  herself,  "  0  that  some  one  would  relieve  me  of 
waiting  upon  this  disagreeable  old  thing ! "  Then  the  naughty 
daughter-in-law  determined  to  set  the  son  against  his  mother,  so  she 
began  to  spit  and  do  other  nasty  things  about  the  place,  and  scatter 
grey  hairs  all  over  the  house.  The  husband,  on  seeing  this,  wanted 
to  know  who  had  been  guilty  of  such  filthy  tricks.  "It's  your 
mother,"  said  the  wife ;  "  you  must  make  her  stop  this."  Talking  in 
this  way  she  soon  brought  about  a  quarrel.  "  I  can't  live  in  the 
same  house  with  such  an  old  hag,"  said  she  to  her  man  ;  "  you  must 
keep  either  her  or  me,  for  only  one  of  us  can  stop  here."  After 
listening  to  his  wife's  version  of  the  affair  he  decides  that  his  mother 
is  at  fault,  so  he  says  to  her,  "  Mother,  I  find  that  you  are  continually 
stirring  up  strife  in  this  house ;  you  must  go  away,  and  choose  some 
other  place  you  please  to  live  in."  She  took  him  at  his  word  and  left 
the  house  in  tears.  Hiring  herself  to  a  family  Idndly  disposed  towards 
her,  she  barely  managed  to  get  a  living.  After  the  departure  of  the 
old  woman  the  daughter-in-law  found  herself  likely  to  become  a 
mother,  and  she  goes  about  telling  her  husband  and  gossips,  **  When 
that  witch  was  here  there  were  no  signs  of  my  having  a  child,  now  it 
is  otherwise."  In  the  course  of  time  she  gave  birth  to  a  son,  and  said 
to  her  husband,  "  While  your  mother  was  living  with  us  here  I  had 
no  child,  but  now  I  have  one.  You  may  indeed  know  by  this  that  she 
was  a  witch  and  brought  us  ill  luck."  When  the  old  woman  heard 
that  her  daughter-in-law  had  borne  a  son,  shortly  after  she  was  turned 
out  of  house  and  home,  she  thought,  "  Surely  in  this  world  justice  is 
dead ;  for,  if  justice  be  not  dead,  she  who  beat  and  cast  out  the  old 
mother  would  neither  have  a  son  nor  be  living  in  ease  and  comfort,  so 
I'll  offer  to  Justice  the  food  due  to  its  departed  shades." 


FOLK-TALES  OF  INDIA.  309 

One  day  she  took  tila-meal,  rice,  a  small  cooking-pot,  and  a  spoon, 
and  went  to  that  part  of  the  cemetery  where  the  bodies  are  left  to  rot 
(uncremated),  and  there  with  three  human  skulls  she  made  an  oven 
and  kindled  a  fire  under  it.  Then  she  went  to  the  tank,  bathed  her 
head,  washed  her  clothes,  and  returned  to  the  oven.  There  she  let 
down  her  hair  and  began  to  wash  the  rice.  At  that  time  the  Bodhisat 
was  Indra,  the  king  of  the  gods.  He,  at  that  moment,  for  Bodhisats 
are  indeed  ever  on  the  alert,  looking  down  on  the  world,  saw  that 
woe-begone  woman,  who  thought  that  "  Justice  was  dead,"  and  was 
therefore  desirous  of  presenting  to  it  the  food  offered  to  the  manes. 
"  To-day  I'll  let  her  see  my  power,"  said  he.  Disguised  as  a  brahman 
he  appeared  to  her  in  the  high  road  and  stood  before  her  as  she  was 
stepping  aside  to  let  him  pass  and  said,  "  Surely,  mother,  you  are  not 
going  to  cook  food  in  a  cemetery.  What  will  you  do  there  with  meal 
and  boiled  rice  ?  "  By  way  of  beginning  a  conversation  he  uttered  the 
following  gdtha : — 

"  O  clothed  in  white,  with  hair  so  dank  and  long, 
O  clean  Kaccani  say  what  means  this  pot, 
This  meal  so  fine,  and  rice  you  wash  with  care  ; 
On  whose  account  is  all  this  food  prepared  ?  " 

Then  she  answers  his  question  in  the  following  gdtha  :  — 

"  This  meal  you  see,  well-cooked  shall  be  I  trow, 
But  not  for  my  own  use,  O  brahman  learned. 
Just  law  is  dead,  its  ghost  I'll  now  appease. 
And  offer  here  the  food  its  shades  demand." 

Indra  then  replies  : — 

"  Your  duty  do,  when  once  what's  right  you've  leiirnt. 
Who  says  to  thee,  I  pray,  that '  Law '  is  dead  ? 
Of  matchless  might  the  *  Thousand-eyed '  yet  lives  ; 
He  just  and  even-handed  is  forsooth." 

On  hearing  this  the  other  makes  answer : — 

"  Full  well  I  know,  no  doubts  here  trouble  me. 
The  '  Law '  is  dead,  O  brahman  wise  and  true. 
The  wicked  live  in  peace  and  bliss  on  earth. 
For  she  who  ban-en  was,  and  me  expelled, 
Is  now  the  joyful  mother  of  a  child. 
She  lords  it  now  o'er  all  the  house  I  ween, 
While  I  an  outcast  live  and  woman  lone." 


310  FOLK-TALES  OF  INDIA. 

Then  the  god  replies  : — 

**  In  truth  I  live,  who  says  I'm  dead  doth  lie  1 
On  thy  account  I  pay  my  visit  here. 
She,  that  did  bear  a  son.,  ill-treated  thee  ; 
Her  with  her  bairn  I'll  quick  to  ashes  turn." 

The  woman  having  heard  this  exclaims,  "  For  shame  !  why  speakest 
thou  thus  ?  I  would,  were  it  possible,  do  my  best  to  make  my  grand- 
son live  for  ever."     Then  she  utters  the  following  gdtha  ;— 

"  If  good  it  seems  to  thee,  O  lord  of  lords, 
On  my  behoof  to  come,  then  grant  my  wish. 
My  son,  his  wife,  and  self,  with  grandson  dear, 
In  one  house  let  us  dwell  at  peace  for  aye." 

Then  Indra  makes  answer  : — 

"  Have  here  thy  wish,  Kaccani,  fond  and  true; 
No  wrong  thou'lt  do,  though  others  treat  thee  ill. 
Go  join  thy  son  at  once  and  all  thy  kin, 
And  live  at  home  with  those  thou  lov'st  so  well." 

And  now  having  thus  spoken,  Indra,  by  his  divine  power,  stood  in 
the  air  arrayed  in  all  his  glory,  and  addressed  the  old  wife:  "Kaccani, 
fear  not !  By  the  exercise  of  my  mighty  power  I'll  cause  thy  son  and 
his  wife  to  meet  thee  on  the  road  and  to  sue  for  thy  forgiveness. 
They  will  receive  it  and  go  back  in  peace.  Live  vigilantly."  When 
he  had  thus  spoken  he  returned  to  his  own  realms.  Then  the  young 
couple,  moved  by  Indra*s  divine  power,  recollected  the  old  mother's 
good  qualities.  "  Where's  our  mother  ? "  they  inquired  of  the 
villagers.  "  She's  gone  in  the  direction  of  the  cemetery,"  said  they. 
On  hearing  this  they  went  in  search  of  her,  calling  out  "  Mother  1 
mother  I  "  While  on  the  way  to  the  cemetery  they  espied  her,  forth- 
with fell  at  her  feet,  and  propitiated  her  with  these  words  :  "O  mother, 
pardon  our  ofifence."  She  forgave  them,  and  moreover  caught  up  her 
little  grandson  and  embraced  him.  So  they  went  home  the  best  of 
friends,  and  from  that  time  forward  lived  together  in  perfect  harmony. 
The  following  is  the  Buddha's  verse  : — 

"  This  old  Kaccani  true  and  her  son's  wife 
In  perfect  peace  do  dwell  all  in  one  house. 
Both  son  and  grandson  wait  on  her  full  well, 
By  Indra's  will  and  by  his  power  divine." 

( To  he  continued.') 


3U 


FOLK-LOEE  TERMINOLOGY. 


HE  question  raised  in  the  last  number  of  the  Journal  by 
Mr.  Gomme  is  one  of  great  importance.     It  is  expedient 
that  a  precise  and  authoritative  definition  should  be  forth- 
coming both  of  the  word  folk-lore  itself  and  of  the  chief 
terms  usually  employed  by  folk-lorists. 

According  to  Rule  iN'o.  1  of  our  Society,  our  object  is  "  the  pre- 
servation and  publication  of  popular  traditions,  legendary  ballads, 
local  proverbial  sayings,  superstitions  and  old  customs,  and  all 
subjects  relating  to  them."  There  would,  therefore,  be  warrant  in 
affirming  that  folk-lore  is  the  study  of  popular  traditions,  &c.  &c. 
But  does  the  term  as  commonly  employed  bear  such  a  wide  significa- 
tion ?  and  should  it,  if  strictly  employed,  bear  such  a  narrow  one  ? 
Both  questions  must,  I  think,  be  answered  in  the  negative.  Such  a 
definition  as  I  have  indicated  would,  we  instinctively  feel,  be  wanting 
both  in  scope  and  precision.  I  would  venture  to  define  the  term  as 
follows  : — "  Folk-lore  is  anthropology  dealing  with  primitive  man." 
I  do  not  include  biology  in  anthropology.  Biological  phenomena  are 
the  same  in  man  as  in  all  other  animals ;  psychological  phenomena, 
on  the  other  hand,  are  undoubtedly  different.  Anthropology,  the 
science  of  man,  confines  itself  legitimately  to  what  is  special  to  man. 
With  this  exclusion,  however,  I  use  the  word  anthropology  in  its 
widest  sense.  One  other  word  in  my  formula  requires  itself  to  be 
defined — the  word  ''  primitive ";  I  use  this  somewhat  loosely, 
not  as  designating  rigidly  and  precisely  the  absolute  first  stage  of 
culture,  but  nevertheless  an  essentially  low  stage,  the  dominant 
characteristic  of  which  is  that  in  it  all  knowledge  is  at  once  empirical 
and  traditional.     If  we  examine  ourselves  closely,  we  find  that  next  to 


312  FOLK-LORE  TERMINOLOGY. 

nothing  of  our  store  of  knowledge  has  been  acquired  either  empiri- 
cally or  traditionally;  on  the  contrary,  the  whole  tendency  of  our 
education  has  been  to  replace  in  our  minds  the  impressions  derived 
from  our  senses  and  the  facts  gathered  from  folk-tradition,  by  con- 
ceptions due  to  the  deliberate  and  trained  exercise  of  reason.  We  are 
"  civilised  men";  the  vast  majority  of  our  fellows  are  in  this  sense  not 
civilised.  Using  the  word  very  roughly,  the  Murri,  the  Maori,  the 
Aztec,  the  Dorsetshire  hind,  may  all  be  said  to  be  in  a  "  primitive  " 
stage,  and  the  study  of  man  in  such  a  stage  is  folk-lore. 

If  this  is  so,  folk-lore  must,  if  the  study  is  to  be  rendered  practicable, 
be  split  up  into  different  branches,  each  of  which  will  correspond  to 
a  section  of  anthropology  dealing  with  civilised  man.  I  would  suggest 
some  such  division  as  follows  : — 

(1)  Folk-belief,  corresponding .  to  the  study  of  religion  and  phi- 
losophy, and  embracing  every  form  and  manifestation  of  popular  faith. 

(2)  Folk-wont,  corresponding  to  the  study  of  law  and  institutions. 

(3)  Folk-leechdom,  corresponding  to  the  study  of  medicine. 

(4)  Folk-tradition,  corresponding  to  the  study  of  history. 

(5)  Folk-fancy,  the  study  of  the  folk-tale,  the  folk-song,  the  folk- 
play. 

(6)  Folk-wit,  the  study  of  proverbs,  riddles,  jests,  local  sayings,  and 
quips. 

These  last  two  classes  may  be  grouped  together  in  one,  and  called 
Folk-literature. 

(7)  Folk-craft,  corresponding  to  the  study  of  art  and  industry. 

(8)  Folk-speech,  corresponding  to  the  study  of  philology,  grammar, 
rhetoric,  and  metre. 

I  should  prefer  another  term  for  No.  4,  folk-tradition,  but  can  think 
of  no  other. 

It  will  be  seen  that  I  give  a  very  much  wider  scope  to  the  word 
folk-lore  than  is  usual,  and  that  I  look  upon  as  legitimately  belonging 
to  it  subjects  with  which  the  Society  has  never  dealt.  I  feel  some 
doubt  about  my  class  8.  If  the  study  of  speech  be  really,  as  many 
philologists  hold,  a  physiological  rather  than  a  psychological  science, 
it  should  be  excluded  on  the  same  ground  upon  which  I  have  already 
excluded  biology.    In  any  case  it  may  be  practically  excluded,  as  its 


FOLK-LORE  TERMINOLOGY.  313 

interests  are  already  well  cared  for  by  active  and  capable  workers. 
But  the  Society  should,  I  maintain,  look  upon  the  other  seven  classes 
as  its  province.  If  mine,  or  any  equally  far-reaching  definition,  be 
adopted,  an  authoritative  statement  to  that  effect  should  be  made,  and 
the  Society  should  press  upon  all  Members  the  importance  of  only 
using  the  term  in  the  sense  stated,  and  should  insist  upon  their  doing 
so  in  all  communications  addressed  to  the  Journal. 

If  my  definition  be  good,  it  is,  of  course,  absurd  to  speak  of  folk- 
lore and  comparative  mythology  as  being  synonymous.  At  the  most 
it  can  be  urged  that  folk-belief  and  comparative  mythology  touch 
each  other  at  a  great  many  points,  a  fact  which  by  no  means  neces- 
sitates the  confounding  together  of  the  two  studies.  The  relation 
between  them  may  be  stated  thus :  all,  or  nearly  all,  the  facts  of 
comparative  mythology  are  to  be  found  in  folk-belief  in  solution; 
a  great  many  facts  of  folk-belief  are  to  be  found  in  comparative 
mythology  crystallised.  The  facts  are  essentially  the  same  in  both 
cases,  but  the  one  study  deals  with  them  at  one,  the  other  at  another 
stage.  It  is  when  they  have  become  at  once  rigid  and  systematised 
by  passing  through  the  hands  of  an  hierarchical  class,  yet  capable  of 
development  by  falling  under  the  artistic  influence  of  the  craftsman 
and  the  philosophic  influence  of  the  thinker,  that  comparative 
mythology  has  to  do  with  them  ;  before  then  they  are  but  a  portion 
of  folk-belief.  The  two  studies  thus  go  hand-in-hand,  and  cannot  be 
carried  on  at  all  without  perpetual  reference  from  one  to  the  other. 

With  respect  to  terminology,  I  do  not  think  I  can  do  better  than 
reprint  the  following  notes,  originally  printed  for  use  of  Members  of 
the  Folk-Tale  Committee  alone  : — 

"  There  is  no  exact  English  equivalent  for  the  German  word  Sage ; 
neither  '  myth  '  nor  *  tradition  '  conveys  the  full  meaning.  Sage 
enters  in  German  into  a  number  of  compound  words,  such  as  Sagforrriy 
a  term  which  comprehends  every  species  of  mythic  expression;  Sagwis- 
senschaft,  for  which  we  only  have  in  English  the  clumsy  *  comparative 
mythology '  or  *  storyology,'  neither  of  which  is  adequate ;  Sagzug, 
which  takes  in  the  idea  of  our  '  incident,'  and  a  great  deal  more,  as 
it  denotes  not  only  separate  parts  of  the  action  but  also  the  pictorial 
features,  e.g.j  the  hammer  of  Thor  is  a  Sagzug,  just  as  much  as  his 


314  FOLK-LOBE  TERMINOLOGY. 

casting  it  at  the  Midgard  snake.  The  Sagzug  is  the  unit  of  a  Sag- 
gliederung,  and  several  SagzUge  combine  into  a  Sage  (in  its  more 
restricted  sense),  which  may  bo  defined  as  the  story  of  the  adventures 
of  a  god  or  hero.  Many  Sagen  clustering  around  one  person  form  a 
SagJcette^  and  the  connection  of  several  such  Sagketten  a  Sagkreis 
(cycle).  The  Sagschatz  (Sagtreasure)  of  a  people  comprehends  the 
entirety  of  Sagkreisen,  Sagketten^  independent  Sagen,  and  independent 
SagzUge.  Thus,  the  Odysseus  Sage,  viewed  as  a  whole,  is  made  up  of : 
the  Sagkette  of  Odysseus'  adventures  before  Troy;  the  Sagkette  of  his 
wanderings;  the  Sage  of  the  punishment  of  the  wooers;  whilst  it  is 
a  member  of  the  Trojan  Sagkreis,  and  a  portion  of  the  Hellenic 
Sagschatz. 

**  Other  compounds  of  the  Sage  follow:  Sagbildung,  Sagentwickel- 
ung,  Sagverwandlung,  Sagumgestaltung,  Sagverwandtschaft,  Saggat- 
tung,  Sagstofif,  Saggotter  or  -helden,  Weltsage,  Gottersage,  Heldensage  > 
Ortssage,  Cultussage,  Sagenmasse,  Sagenhaft — all  of  which  have  in 
German  a  definite  and  precise  meaning,  and  to  scarcely  any  of  which 
is  there  an  exact  English  equivalent.  It  is  necessary,  however,  if' 
folk-lore  is  to  be  treated  scientifically,  that  the  ideas  contained  in  the 
German  words  given  above  should  find  expression  in  English.  In 
some  cases  this  can  perhaps  best  be  done  by  borrowing  words  from 
comparative  philology  or  the  natural  sciences. 

"  The  precise  equivalent  of  the  German  word  mdrchen  should  be 
fixed.  The  English  term  *  folk-tale  '  has  at  once  a  wider  and  a  more 
limited  meaning,  e.g.,  it  would  be  used  of  many  jest-tales  which  the 
Germans  would  range  under  the  heading  *  Schwank '  (another  word 
for  which  there  is  no  recognised  English  equivalent),  and  it  would  not 
be  used  of  the  Odyssey  tales,  many  of  which  are  genuine  mdrchen. 
The  German  Thierm&rchen  (story  in  which  the  characters  are  animals) 
has  likewise  no  English  equivalent,  our  word  '  fable '  denoting  quite  a 
diflferent  species  of  composition.  Another  German  word  which  calls 
for  precise  translation  is  the  already  mentioned  *  Schwank.'  This  is 
the  more  necessary,  as  J.  G.  v.  Hahn  divides  the  whole  of  what  we 
call  folk-tales  into  '  Marchen,'  and  *  Schwiinke,'  a  division  coitc- 
sponding  in  the  main  to  Mr.  Ralston's  *  mythological '  and  *  non- 
mythological  *  classes  (a  terminology  which  has  the  defect  in  my  eyes 


FOLK-LORE  TERMINOLOGY.  315 

of  begging  the  question  whether  any  of  these  tales  be  '  mythological ' 
in  the  strict  sense  of  that  word  or  no). 

"  J.  G.  V.  Hahn  looks  upon  Mdrchen  and  ScTiwank  as  organically 
different  forms  of  expression,  the  first  being  a  variety  of  the  Sagform, 
the  latter  not ;  and  conclusions  drawn  from  a  study  of  the  one  class 
being  in  no  way  applicable  to  the  other.  The  main  difference  between 
the  two  classes  is  stated  by  him  to  be  as  follows :  a  mdrchen  presents 
a  complete  action,  and  is  an  organic  whole;  its  tendency  is  edifying, 
and  the  requirements  of  poetical  justice  are  strictly  preserved,  what- 
ever cause  of  offence  may  be  given  to  modem  ideas  by  the  moral 
conduct  of  the  actors.  In  the  Schwanh,  on  the  other  hand,  the  action 
is  of  secondary  importance,  the  presentment  of  a  comic  motif  being 
the  main  point.  Its  tendency  is  humorous,  and  poetical  justice  is 
disregarded.  It  is  heard  with  pleasure  by  men,  whilst  the  mdrchen's 
true  home  is  where  women  and  children  assemble.  It  will  be  seen 
therefore  that  an  exact  definition  of  these  two  words  will  in  itself  be 
an  important  contribution  to  classification." 

I  would  make  one  suggestion  as  far  as  the  word  myth  is  concerned. 
Among  the  Members  of  the  Society  workers  on  the  New  English 
Dictionary  are  doubtless  to  be  found.  Will  not  some  of  these  come 
forward  and  work  out  in  these  pages  an  exhaustive  lexicographical 
account  of  the  word  ?  This  will  show  better  than  anything  else  the 
chaotic  variety  of  meanings  attached  to  the  word,  and  will,  at  the 
same  time,  furnish  materials  for  a  fresh  definition,  which,  it  is  to  be 
hoped,  may  become  the  standard  one.  I  hold  by  the  definition  I  gave 
in  the  fourth  volume  of  the  Folk-Lore  Record,  p.  39  :  a  myth  embodies 
in  human  form  primitive  man's  conception  of  a  non-human  action, 
until  a  better  one  is  forthcoming,  and  I  should  never  use  the  word 
save  in  that  sense. 

The  above  remarks  will,  I  hope,  serve  as  a  starting-point  for  a 
fruitful  discussion.  Alfred  Nutt. 


316  FOLK-LORE  TERMINOLOGY. 

As  an  instance  of  the  necessity  for  some  decision  as  to  what  folk- 
lore really  aims  at,  I  would  refer  to  the  following  letter  in  the  Library 
Journal  of  August  1884: — 

"  The  Place  of  Folk-Lore  in  a  Classification. — A  Problem,  by  C.  A. 
Cutter. — I  have  a  division  Legends,  under  Literature,  and  I  had  put 
in  a  division  Folk-lore  under  Religions.  It  would  be  by  no  means  easy 
to  say  of  some  books  whether  they  should  go  in  the  one  or  the  other. 
But  I  have  long  been  dissatisfied  with  this  classing,  though  I  find 
others  have  adopted  the  same.  Mr.  Dewey,  for  instance,  in  his  index, 
refers  from  Folk-lore  to  Comparative  mythology,  Greek  and  Roman  myth- 
ology, Norse  mythology ;  Mr.  Perkins  refers  to  Mythology  in  general. 
Oriental,  Classical,  Scandinavian,  German,  blank;  Mr.  Smith,  to 
Belles-lettres,  division  i^?c<2*ow,'sub-division  Folk-lore,  fairy  tales,  nursery 
rhymes,  &c.,  adding  a  reference  to  Comparative  mythology.  But  there  is 
much  in  folk-lore  that  is  not  religion  or  literature.  There  is  much  medi- 
cine and  natural  history,  and  a  good  deal  that  illustrates  manners  and 
customs  and  sports.  Folk-fore  is  the  philosophy,  the  religion,  the 
science,  and  the  literature  of  the  people  ;  of  the  uninstructed,  the  un- 
trained, the  blundering,  the  confused.  It  is  unphilosophical  philosophy, 
superstitious  religion,  unscientific  science,  and  unwritten  literature 
Why  should  its  science  be  put  under  religion,  or  its  religion  and 
science  under  literature,  or  its  natural  history  under  philosophy? 
Why  should  it  be  put  in  any  class  ?  Why  should  it  not  be  a  class  by 
itself  ?  And,  if  it  is  allowed  an  independent  standing,  it  should  come, 
since  like  Lord  Bacon  it  takes  all  knowledge  to  be  its  province,  not 
in  any  of  the  six  great  divisions,  but  in  what  I  have  called  Generals 
and  Preliminaries,  where  the  Encyclopaedias  and  books  of  "  universal 
erudition  "  are  to  go.  If  it  were  to  be  put  under  one  of  the  main 
classes,  I  might  present  the  claims  of  Primitive  culture  as  a  division 
of  Anthropology,  itself  a  division  of  the  compound  class  Zoology,  or  of 
Antiquities,  and  Manners  and  Customs,  one  of  the  side  historical 
sciences.  I  think  I  have  given  a  sufficient  variety  of  choice  ;  but 
perhaps  the  reader  can  add  some  other  place." 

This,  it  appears  to  me,  sets  forth  the  practical  inconvenience  of  the 
present  uncertainty.  G.  L.  Gomme. 


317 


NOTES  AND  QUERIES. 

Round  about  our  Coal  Fire. — In  a  tract  of  1740  recently  re- 
printed by  Messrs.  Fisher  Unwin,  it  is  related  how  the  judges  and 
benchers  on  Candlemas  Day  performed  a  very  curious  ceremony, 
which  included  dancing  round  the  fire  and  singing  an  old  song.  The 
Gentleman's  Magazine,  1734,  p.  103,  calls  it  an  "  old  French  song." 
Wynne,  in  his  Eunomus :  or  Dialogues  on  Law,  &c.  1774,  vol.  iv. 
p.  107,  says  "the  ancient  song."  Would  any  reader  of  the  Journal 
tell  me  where  I  can  find  the  words  of  this  song^  or  where,  other  than 
the  authorities  I  have  quoted,  I  can  find  a  description  of  the  cere- 
mony. G.  L.  GOMME. 

Mr.  Nutt's  Paper  on  Irish  Mythology. — In  the  June  number  of 
the  Journal,  p.  180,  Mr.  Nutt  remarks  that  M.  de  Jubainville  has 
taken  no  notice  of  O'Curry's  interpretation  of  Cromm  Cruach  (bloody 
worm  or  maggot).  The  word  should  be  written  Cruim,  and  is  feminine. 
As  the  text  in  the  Book  of  Leinster  and  elsewhere  shows  that  cromm 
is  used  as  a  masculine  word,  the  meaning  of  "  worm  "  is  untenable. 
He  is  also  called  cromm  crin,  "withered  cromm." — L.L.  213^. 

In  the  next  page  Mr.  Nutt  expresses  his  doubts  as  to  the  historical 
existence,  among  others,  of  Fionn  and  Oisin.  There  is  a  passage  in 
the  Booh  of  Leinster,  though  I  have  unfortunately  lost  the  reference, 
which  inferentially  bears  him  out.  It  states  that  with  one  exception 
the  Feini  left  no  descendants.  As  they  were  considered  to  be  a  very 
numerous  body,  they  could,  therefore,  hardly  have  been  mortals. 

J.  Abercromby. 

Maypoles. — I  was  passing  through  the  village  of  Wellow,  Notts,  a 
day  or  two  ago,  and  was  attracted  by  the  appearance  of  a  very  tall 
pole  in  the  centre  of  the  village-green.  It  would  appear  to  be  sixty 
or  more  feet  in  height,  and  had  cross-bars,  three  in  number,  at 
inteiTals  near  the  top.  I  found  it  was  a  real  Maypole,  and  that  the 
present  one,  which  had  been  standing  about  a  quarter  of  a  century, 


318  NOTES  AND  QUERIES. 

replaced  the  old  one  which  had  become  rotten  and  tottering.  Thus  it 
is  in  the  old  succession,  and  not  merely  a  new  whim.  Many  of  the 
people  remember  the  day  when  the  old  customs  of  dancing  round  the 
pole,  climbing  it  when  greased,  and  other  games  were  in  full  vigour. 
Wellow  and  the  neighbourhood  is  famous  for  the  age  which  its 
inhabitants  attain,  as  well  as  for  the  fact  that  it  is  in  close  proximity 
to  Sherwood  Forest,  with  its  wealth  of  traditionary  and  historic  lore. 
I  am  told  that  a  Maypole  also  stood,  not  many  years  ago,  at  another 
Tillage  called  Famsfield,  only  a  few  miles  distant,  situated  near  the 
cathedral  town  of  Southwell,  but  this  had  never  been  replaced.  I 
should  be  glad  to  know  if  a  list  of  standing  village  Maypoles  has  ever 
been  drawn  up,  and,  if  not,  whether  Members  would  kindly  supply 
reliable  information  on  the  subject.  Hilderic  Friend. 

Worksop. 

Some  Chinese  Superstitions.  By  the  Rev.  J.  E.  Walker,  Shan- 
Wu,  China. — In  China  every  Foo  city  is  supposed  to  have  two 
pagodas.  In  the  city  of  Foo-chow  one  of  the  pagodas  is  situated 
about  a  quarter  of  a  mile  to  the  north-east,  and  the  other  as  far  to  the' 
north-west,  of  the  south  gate.  I  once  asked  a  coolie  what  these 
pagodas  were  for  ;  he  answered,  "  To  pin  down  the  loong.  In  the 
ground,"  he  said,  "  is  a  loong ^  or  dragon,  and  if  he  were  not  pinned 
down  he  might  move  about,  and  give  rise  to  prodigies."  I  put  the 
same  question  to  a  literary  man,  and  he  replied,  "  They  are  the  homes 
of  the  loong ;  and,"  he  continued,  "  the  two  wells  just  inside  the  south 
gate  are  his  eyes,  while  the  two  moats  outside  the  gate  are  his  feelers 
or  whiskers."  The  loong^  or  dragon,  as  it  is  commonly  translated,  is 
to  the  Chinese  nation  all  that  the  eagle  is  to  us,  and  a  great  deal 
more.  It  is  a  mysterious,  fabulous  creature — in  many  respects  like 
the  dragon  of  Western  fables,  but  far  surpassing  it.  Not  only 
supernatural,  but  almost  divine  qualities  are  attributed  to  it.  It  is 
intimately  associated  with  many  of  the  mo«t  ancient  superstitions  of 
China ;  among  these  is  the  foong-shooy  or  wind-water  superstition. 
Foong-shooy  concerns  the  shape  and  location  of  cities,  houses,  roads, 
canals,  groves,  graves,  &c.,  with  a  view  to  warding  off  evil  and  seciu*ing 
good  fortune.  In  very  ancient  times  it  may  have  referred  simply  to  a 
proper  regard  for  wind  and  water  in  selecting  sites,  but  at  the  present 


NOTES  AND  QUERIES.  319 

time  it  is  an  unmitigated  superstition.  What  is  the  connection  that 
is  supposed  to  exist  between  foong-shooy  and  the  loong  I  do  not  know. 
The  "  pulse  of  the  loong  "  is  a  very  vital  point  in  the  foong-shooy  of  a 
city.  All  changes  in  the  landscape  must  be  made  with  caution,  lest 
harmful  modifications  of  ^q  foong-shooy  take  place.  Foreign  buildings, 
constructed  in  utter  disregard  of  it,  are  viewed  with  dislike ;  while 
there  is  no  telling  what  confusion  and  disaster  might  arise  from  the 
making  of  a  taiboad  through  the  country. — The  Missionary  Herald 
(quoted  in  The  Church  of  Scotland  Home  and  Foreign  Missionary 
Record,  1  Sept.  1884). 

Irish  Gaines  of  Ball. — The  Irish  games  of  ball  (or  stick),  described 
at  p.  264  of  the  September  number  of  the  Folk-Lore  Journal,  will  be 
found  referred  to  in  Strutt's  Sports  and  Pastimes,  under  the  names  of 
^^  stool-hall  "  and  *'  tip-catj^  See  also  Brand's  Observations  on  Popular 
Antiquities  for  a  description  of  the  game  of  cat  and  dog,  as  played  in 
Angus  and  Lothian,  extracted  from  Jamieson's  Etymological  Dictionary, 
The  cat  is  well  known  in  Yorkshire  ;  and  a  form  of  stool-ball,  under 
the  name  of  rounders,  is  a  sport  common  to  both  boys  and  girls  in  this 
district.     Duck-stone  also  is  played  here.         C.  Staniland  Wake. 

The  Wifle  and  her  Kidie. — I  have  met  with  another  version  of 
"  The  Wifie  and  her  Kidie,"  which  varies  slightly  from  the  one  given 
at  pp.  277,  278,  vol.  ii.  of  the  Folk-Lore  Journal.  It  was  communi- 
cated by  Mrs.  Walker,  aged  76,  Aberdeen.     It  begins  thus  : — 

There  wiz  a  wifie  sweipit  her  hoosie  clean,  an  she  fan  twal  pennies, 
an  she  geed  to  the  market  an  she  bocht  a  kidie,  an  she  said  to  the 
kidie :  "  Noo,  kidie,  ye'U  rin  hame,  till  I  gaither  a  puckle  sticks  to 
my  ain  fire- en." 

*'  Niver  a  lenth,"  said  the  kidie.  "  I  hiv  as  muckle  need  o'  sticks 
to  my  ain  fire-en." 

Then  the  story  goes  on  almost  word  for  word  till  the  wifie  appeals 
to  the  cat : — "  O  cat,  gin  ye  wid  catch  that  moose,  I  wid  gee  you  milk 
fin  I  milk  the  coo."  So  the  cat  to  the  mouse,  &c.  and  the  kidie  ran 
hame  till  the  wifie  gaithert  sticks  till  her  ain  fire-en.* 

Walter  Gregor. 

*  See  for  such  cumulative  folk-tales  Bihlioteca  de  las  Ib'adioiones  Fppulares 
Uspanoles,  vol.  iv.  pp.  123-126. 


320 

NOTICES. 

Bihlioteca  de  las  Tradiciones  Populares  Espanolas.  Tom.  ii.  and  iii. 
Director :  Antonio  Machado  y  Alvarez.  Madrid :  Libreria  de 
Fernando  Fe,  Carrera  San  Jeronimo,  2.     1884. 

The  two  Tolumes  of  this  series  now  published  are  as  valuable  as 
the  first.  Vol.  ii.  contains  three  articles, "  El  Folk-lore  de  Madrid," 
por  Eugenio  de  Olavarria  y  Huarte ;  "  Juegos  infantiles  do  Extre- 
madura,"  recogidos  y  anotados  por  Sergio  Hernandez  de  Soto,  to  tho 
number  of  sixty-one.  This  article  is  continued  in  vol.  iii.  to  the 
number  of  eighty,  including  variants.  The  game-rhymes  as  well  as 
the  descriptions  of  the  games  are  given.  The  third  article  is  "  De  los 
malificios  y  los  demonios,"  de  Fr.  Juan  Nyder,  siglo  XV.  Obra 
vertida  del  latin  al  castellano,  por  J.  M.  Montoto,  which  is  continued 
in  vol.  iii.  Besides  these  two  continuations,  vol.  iii.  contains  a  valu- 
able article,  "  El  Mito  del  Basilisco,"  por  Alejandro  Guichot  y  Sierra, 
in  which  all  that  is  known  concerning  this  creature  is  collected,  and 
arranged  in  a  very  interesting  way.  It  is  illustrated  by  a  plate  of  the 
animal.  It  is  hardly  necessary  to  say  that  all  folk-lorists  should 
possess  themselves  of  this  series,  both  on  account  of  the  sterling 
worth  of  the  books  themselves,  and  for  the  purpose  of  helping  the 
Spaniards  in  the  good  cause  which  they  have  taken  up  with  such 
spirit,  and  which  they  are  caiTying  out  with  such  energy.  Other 
volumes  of  the  series,  equally  important,  are  in  the  press. 
Jogos  e  Rimas,  Bihliotheca  d*educacao  nacional.  Publicada  por  F. 
Adolpho  Coelho.  Porto  :  Livraria  Universal  de  Magalhaes  & 
Moniz,  editores,  12,  Largo  dos  Loyos. 

This  is  an  exceedingly  interesting  collection  of  Portuguese  children's 
games  and  rhymes  for  tho  use  of  schools.  It  is  to  be  hoped  that  the 
day  is  not  far  distant  when  folk-tales,  children's  games,  and  rhymes 
will  be  taken  advantage  of  as  a  means  of  education  to  a  far  greater 
extent  than  they  have  hitherto  been.  Children  delight  in  them. 
AVhy  not  use  them,  and  turn  them  to  the  training  of  the  young,  and 
thus  break,  if  nothing  else  is  done,  the  monotony  of  the  school-book 
and  school-drill  ?  A  good  beginning  has  been  made  in  this  little 
book. 


OLD  CLEM"  CELEBRATIONS  AND 
BLACKSMITHS'  LORE. 


HE  ancient  craft  of  a  smith  has  had  its  heroes  and  legends 
from  the  days  of  Tubal  Cain,  "  an  instructor  of  every 
artificer  in  brass  and  iron,"*  and  Vulcan,  down  to  S. 
Clement,  who  has  been  adopted  by  the  smiths  as  their 
patron  saint,  and  whose  festival  is  annually  celebrated  on  Nov.  2ard. 

The  well-known  legend,  of  S.  Dunstan  seizing  the  devil  by  the  nose, 
is  generally  connected  with  Glastonbury;  and  Bishop  Stubbs  observes,! 
that  the  story  is  so  famous  one  can  hardly  doubt  that  it  had  some 
foundation;  and  it  seems  not  unlikely  that  S.  Dunstan  may  have  taken 
some  one  by  the  nose,  and  the  identification  was  an  afterthought.  In 
modem  times,  however,  Mayfield,  in  Sussex,  is  assigned  as  the  place 
of  the  occurrence,  and  the  tongs  are  still  shown  there.  As  Mayfield 
was  undoubtedly  an  archiepiscopal  possession,  and  a  residence  of  S. 
Dunstan,  besides  being  the  centre  of  the  Sussex  ironworks,  it  is  pos- 
sible the  legend  originated  in  some  Sussex  forge. 

Saint  Clement,  whose  name  appears  in  the  Calendar  on  Nov.  23rd, 
was  the  third  Bishop  of  Kome,  and  is  referred  to  by  S.  Paul.|  He 
died  in  100  a.d.  and  his  emblem  is  an  anchor,  on  account  of  his  being 
drowned  with  one  round  his  neck,  and  consequently  an  anchor  forms 
the  vane  of  the  church  of  S.  Clement  Danes,  London.  This  church 
is  specially  connected  by  English  blacksmiths  with  their  craft.  The 
Kev.  W.  J.  Loftie,  in  his  History  of  London, \  states,  this  church  was 
so  called,  either  on  account  of  the  settlement  here  of  a  colony  of 

*  Gen.  iv.  22. 

t  Memorials  of  S.  Dunstan,   Archhishop   of    Canterbury   (Rolls  Series), 
Introduction,  p.  Ixv. 
t  Phil.  iii.  3.  §  2nd  edit.  1884,  vol.  ii.  p.  71. 

Vol.  2.— Part  11.  y 


322 

christianised  invaders  under  Sweyn  and  Canute,  or  on  account  of  the 
number  of  Danes,  including  Harold  Harefoot,  who  were  buried  in  it. 
Stow  reports  a  tradition,  that  some  marauders  were  slain  here  on  their 
way  home  to  Denmark  with  their  booty. 

The  blacksmiths'  legend  is  quite  different.  One  version  says :  * 
"  *  Old  Clem'  was  a  Dane  by  birth,  and  a  blacksmith  by  profession,  and 
very  clever  at  his  trade;  he  realised  a  fortune,  and  built  that  little 
church  in  the  Strand,  London,  at  his  own  expense.  He  also  forged 
all  the  ironwork  with  his  own  hands;  and  afterwards  went  into  the 
cloisters  and  devoted  his  life  to  God's  service,  having  made  over  the 
church  to  the  Pope.  He  died  on  23rd  November  ;  about  the  year  we 
are  not  quite  sure.  After  his  death  the  Pope  placed  him  in  the 
Calendar  as  S.  Clement,  and  called  the  church  S.  Clement  le  Dane. 
Since  that  time  *01d  Clem'  has  been  honoured  by  the  smiths  meeting 
every  year  on  his  day." 

Another  legend  is  furnished  by  a  Sussex  blacksmith : f  "On  the 
17th  March,  a.d.  871,  when  good  King  Alfred  ruled  this  land,  he 
called  together  all  the  trades  (seven  in  number)  and  declared  his 
intention  of  making  that  trades-man  King  over  all  the  trades  who 
could  best  get  on  without  the  help  of  all  the  others  for  the  longest 
period.  He  proclaimed  a  banquet  to  which  he  invited  a  representative 
from  each  trade,  and  made  it  a  condition  that  each  should  bring  a 
specimen  of  his  work,  with  the  tools  he  used  in  working  it. 

1st.  The  blacksmith  brought  his  hammer  and  a  horseshoe. 

2nd.  The  tailor  brought  his  shears  and  a  new  coat. 

Srd.  The  baker  his  peel  and  a  loaf. 

4th.  The  shoemaker  his  awl  and  a  new  pair  of  shoes. 

5th.  The  carpenter  brought  his  saw  and  a  deal  trunk. 

6th.  The  butcher  his  chopper  and  a  joint. 

7th.  The  mason  his  chisels  and  a  corner-stone. 

"  Now  the  tailor's  coat  was  of  such  surpassing  beauty  of  colour,  and 
exquisite  fashion,  that  all  the  guests,  with  one  consent,  declared  it  a 

♦  The  writer  is  indebted  for  this  to  Mr.  D.  Thomson,  foreman,  smiths'  depart- 
ment. L.B.&S.C.  Railway  Co.'s  Works,  Brighton. 

t  This  was  kindly  taken  down  in  1883  by  Edmund  Young,  Esq.  M.R.C.S.  of 
Steyning,  from  the  lips  of  a  poor  fellow  in  a  deep  decline. 


AND  blacksmiths'  LORE.  323 

marvel  of  workmanship,  and  entirely  eclipsing  the  handicraft  of  all 
the  others.  Upon  which  the  horseshoe,  bread,  shoes,  trunk,  meat, 
and  comer-stone  were  all  thrown  on  one  side  as  unfit  for  competition. 
Upon  this  the  tailor  was  unanimously  pronounced  by  the  good  king, 
and  the  general  company,  the  fittest  to  be  king  of  the  trades,  and  was 
duly  installed.  This  decision  made  the  blacksmith  very  jealous  and 
angry,  and  he  declared  that  he  would  do  no  more  work  whilst  the 
tailor  was  King  ;  so  he  shut  up  his  forge  and  '  sloped,'*  no  one  knew 
whither. 

"  Now  it  came  to  pass  that  King  Alfred  was  the  first  to  need  the 
services  of  a  blacksmith,  his  horse  having  cast  a  shoe,  but  he  could 
gain  no  admittance.  Then  came  one  trade,  then  another,  in  fact  all 
the  six,  each  having  broken  his  tools,  thereby  preventing  him  from 
carrying  on  his  business  until  he  could  get  them  mended.  The  last 
of  the  six  who  came  to  grief  was  the  tailor,  who  had  broken  his  shears 
and  was  compelled  to  stop  working.  This  all  happened  on  the  23rd 
November  (8.  Clement's  day)  in  the  same  year. 

"  Now  King  Alfred  and  all  the  trades  determined  to  break  open  the 
forge  and  do  the  work  themselves.  So  the  King  began  to  shoe  his 
horse.  The  tailor  began  to  mend  his  shears,  and  each  trade  in  succes- 
sion essayed  to  repair  his  tools,  but  all  failed.  The  horse  kicked  the 
king  ;  the  tailor  bruised  his  fingers.  The  fire  would  not  bum,  and 
everybody  got  into  everybody's  way.  The  butcher  began  to  shove  t 
the  baker,  he  shoved  the  shoemaker,  who  in  his  turn  shoved  the 
carpenter,  and  the  latter  revenged  himself  by  shoving  the  mason,  who 
passed  the  compliment  on  to  the  tailor,  until  in  the  general  confusion 
the  anvil  was  knocked  over  and  exploded. 

"  At  this  juncture  m  walked  S.  Clement,  with  the  blacksmith  on  his 
arm,  the  latter  looking  very  angry  at  the  wreck  of  his  once  tidy  forge. 

"  S.  Clement  said  nothing,  but  seemed  to  enjoy  the  discomfiture  of 
the  King  and  his  company. 

"  At  length  the  King,  making  a  humble  bow  to  S.  Clement  and  the 
blacksmith,  said  : — '  I  have  made  a  great  mistake  in  allowing  my 
judgment  in  this  important  matter  to  be  governed  by  the  gaudy  colour 

*  i.e.  absconded  or  went  away.  t  push. 

y2 


324 

and  stylish  cut  of  the  tailor's  coat,  and  in  justice  to  the  blacksmith 
(without  whom  none  of  us  can  do)  proclaim  him  King.' 

"  Immediately  all  the  trades,  except  the  tailor  (deposed),  begged  the 
blacksmith  to  mend  their  tools.  So  he  shod  the  King's  horse,  and 
obligingly  mended  the  tools  of  all  who  asked  him  ;  but  he  made  and 
presented  to  the  tailor  a  new  pair  of  shears !  This  presentation  took 
place  at  a  feast  given  by  the  King  to  celebrate  the  event,  who,  in  a 
neat  speach,  admitted  having  been  taken  in  by  the  tailor's  beautiful 
coat,  but  now  felt  the  greatest  pleasure  in  announcing  that  for  all  time 
the  blacksmith  should  be  regarded  as  the  King  of  all  the  trades.  *  So 
let  us  all  drink  good  health,  and  long  life  to  the  jolly  blacksmith.' 

"  The  King  then  proposed,  that  to  restore  the  harmony  each  should 
sing  a  song,  and  called  upon  the  blacksmith  to  make  a  beginning,  who 
sang  the  following  : — 

The  Jolly  Blacksmith.* 

1.  Here's  a  health  to  the  jolly  Blacksmith, 

The  bestf  of  all  fellows, 
Who  works  at  his  anvil 

"While  the  boy  blows  the  bellows; 
For  it  makes  his  bright  hammer  to  rise  and  to  fall, 
Says  the  Old  Cole  %  to  the  Young  Cole  and  the  Old  Cole  of  all. 
Choru9.    Twankie  dillo,  twankie  dillo,  dillo,  dillo,  dillo,  dillo,  dillo. 
With  a  roaring  pair  of  bagpipes  made  of  the  green  willow. 

2.  K  a  gentleman  call  his  horse  for  to  shoe 
He  makes  no  denial  to  one  pot  or  two  ; 

For  it  makes  his  bright  hammer,  &c.  Chorus. 

3.  Here's  a  health  to  the  pretty  girl  the  one  he  loves  best. 
She  kindles  a  fire  §  all  in  his  own  breast, 

Which  makes  his  bright  hammer,  &c.  Chorus. 

4.  Here's  a  health  to  King  George  and  likewise  his  Queen, 
And  all  the  Royal  Family  wherever  they're  seen, 
Which  makes,  &c.  Choriis. 


*  The  words  of  this  song  have  been  supplied  by  several  Sussex  correspondents, 
and  the  version  now  given  is  corrected  and  collated  from  four  versions  slightly 
differing. 

t  "  Prince  "  in  one  version.  J  **  Clem  "  in  one  version. 

§  One  version  gives  it,  "carries  a  fire.'' 


AND  blacksmiths'  LORE. 


325 


.,__i_^s_^ 


:^=t 


]z\^^=^:\ 


Here's  a  health  to  the  jol-ly  Blacksmith,  the  best  of    all  fellows,  Who 


il3E*±tHE5;Ej!i 


-t^-1^ 


^^^^ 


B±4=^^=n 

~p~P~f^ — *" 

-1 — 1 — r 

-s-i-\ 

f— ^ 

_J^   l|: 

tJ 

works  at  his 

anvil  while  the 

boy  blows  the  bellows,  For  it  makes  his  bright 

f -S^-i-  -yi-T-tt-zir+r-r-r-'F 

^^ — — Ld-^— 

■^  \   ^  ^- 

^--f-r- 

^-Srd 

Jzp= 

-) 1 ,-1- 

i 


:fcq=q: 


J — ^ 


[ZZilZStllt 


:^-i^ 


isqvl 


:e=p: 


i^ztz: 


hammer  to  rise  and  to  fall.  Says  the  Old  Cole  to  the  Young  Cole,  and  the 


E^^ll^ 


SESlfc 


3^ 


I 


:^=(!t 


I t^-i^ 


P=^ 


i^stz^zc 


Old  Cole  of  all.  Twankie  dil-lo,  twankie  dillo,  dillo,    dillo,   dillo,  dillo, 


m 


^-^ 


:jb-»: 


^-zk^zru^zz^z^Li^z^i^z^ih 


:«=^: 


fEfei^J 


zn^^iBiz^ 


4- J ^- 


zi-^m-^ 


dil  -  lo.    With  a  roar-ing  pair  of    bagpipes  made  of  the  green  willow. 


•t^-t- 


326  "OLD  clem"  celebrations 

[The  spirited  mnsic,  which  is  traditional,  and  does  not  occur  in 
Chappell's  Popular  Music  of  the  Olden  Time,  was  kindly  written  down 
by  Mr.  Samuel  Willett,  of  Cuckfield,  Sussex,  and  is  confirmed  by 
several  Sussex  people.] 

"  Whilst  this  song  was  being  sung,  the  tailor  crawled  under  the 
table  and  slit  up  the  blacksmith's  leather-apron  with  his  new  shears 
into  a  regular  fringe,  and  from  that  day  no  blacksmith  ever  wears  an 
apron  which  is  not  so  ornamented  or  mutilated." 

Two  points  in  this  interesting,  and  original  legend,  require  special 
notice,  viz.  "  the  explosion  of  the  anvil,"  and  "  the  apron  fringe." 
Mr.  Young  observes  that  there  is  in  all  anvils  a  deep  depression,  or 
hole,  which  on  S.  Clement's  day  is  filled  with  gunpowder,  and  a  plug 
of  wood  is  driven  in  tightly ;  a  hole  is  next  bored  through  the  plug, 
a  little  powder  poured  in,  and  it  is  then  ignited.  This  is  called  "firing 
the  anvil."  As  regards  the  slits  in  the  apron,  they  are  almost  inva- 
riably to  be  seen  in  a  blacksmith's  apron,  and  most  of  them  believe 
they  originated  as  stated  in  the  legend.  One  correspondent,*  however, 
says :  "  You  may  probably  notice  at  the  present  day  blacksmiths* 
leather-aprons  have  five  slits  in  the  comer  signifying  the  lion's  paw. 
Having  the  lions  on  their  smithy  is  said  to  constitute  a  freehold.  In 
olden  times  many  of  the  smithies  were  small  erections  put  up  on  the 
waste  by  the  roadside." 

Another  informant  says  :  "  When  Solomon's  Temple  was  built,  all 
the  trades  met  together  at  a  supper,  and  everybody  was  asked  to  go 
except  the  smiths.  The  latter  left  off  work  in  disgust,  and  when  the 
other  workmen  wanted  their  tools  mended  the  smiths  refused,  so 
Solomon  gave  a  second  supper,  and  had  the  tags  (or  fringe)  cut  in 
their  aprons,  which  he  gilded." 

In  Sussex  on  S.  Clement's  day  (Nov.  28rd)  there  was  an  old 
custom  of  going  round  from  house  to  house  asking  for  apples  and 
beer,  and  it  was  called  Clemmening.  The  Rev.  W.  D.  Parish  observes  : 
"  The  children  in  some  parts  of  East  Sussex  still  keep  up  the  custom 
of  Catterning  and  Clemmening,  and  the  Sussex  blacksmiths  are  par- 
ticularly active  in  commemorating  their  patron  saint ;  the  anvils  are 

♦  Mr.  Henry  Colgate,  of  Fletcbing,  Sussex. 


AND  blacksmiths'  LORE.  327 

fired  with  a  loud  explosion,  and  at  least  a  half-holiday  is  kept.  At 
Burwash,  a  few  years  ago,  it  was  the  custom  to  dress  up  a  figure  with 
a  wig  and  beard  and  pipe  in  his  mouth,  and  set  it  upon  the  door  of 
the  inn  where  the  blacksmiths  feasted  on  S.  Clement's  day.  This 
figure  was  called  Old  Clem.''* 

The  rhyme  sung  on  these  occasions  is  thus  quoted  by  Mr.  Parish  : 

"  Cattem'  f  and  Clemen'  be  here,  here,  here, 
Give  us  your  apples  and  give  us  your  beer. 

One  for  Peter, 

Two  for  Paul, 

Three  for  him  who  made  us  all. 

Clemen'  was  a  good  man, 

Cattem'  was  his  mother.J 

Gives  us  your  best, 

And  not  your  worst, 
And  God  will  give  your  soul  good  rest." 

In  the  Clog  Almanacks  a  pot  is  marked  against  Nov.  23rd  in 
allusion  to  this  custom  of  going  about  to  beg  drink  with  which  to 
make  merry. 

The  following  notes  on  the  modern  observance  of  the  day  are 
furnished  by  Mr.  Thomson  : — 

"  A  supper  takes  place  on  the  23rd  Nov.  annually.  I  have  made 
inquiries  of  the  oldest  smith  in  my  shop.  From  him  I  gather  that 
it  is  customary  in  some  places  to  personate  '  Old  Clem,'  particularly 
in  the  Government  dockyards. §  In  many  private  establishments  it 
has  also  been  the  custom  for  the  masters  to  give  the  smiths  a  way- 
goose,]  that  is,  a  leg  of  pork  with  the  bone  drawn  and  the  pork  stufi*ed 
with  sage  and  onions,  and  roasted.  This  has  been  the  custom  in 
Bristol,  Liverpool,  and  even  in  Brighton.  In  all  cases  it  is  usual  for 
the  oldest  blacksmith  to  take  the  chair,  and  the  youngest  the  vice- 
chair. 

*  Dictionary  of  the  Sussex  Dialect. 

f  S.  Catherine,  whose  day  is  Nov.  25th. 

%  This  is  of  course  erroneous.  S.  Catherine  was  a  virgin  saint,  and  died 
A.D.  307  ;  S.  Clement  died  A.D.  100. 

§  Cf.  Brand's  Poimlar  Antiquities  (edit.  Sir  Henry  Ellis),  vol.  i.  pp.  408-409. 

II  The  word  is  thus  spelt  by  Halliwell,  who  defines  it  as  an  entertainment  given 
by  an  apprentice  to  his  fellow-workmen.     It  is  now  generally  spelt  wayz-goose. 


328  "  OLD  CLEM  "  CELEBRATIONS,  &C. 

The  first  toast  is  : — 

'  Here's  to  old  Vulcan,  as  bold  as  a  lion, 
A  large  shop  and  no  iron, 
A  big  hearth  and  no  coal, 
And  a  large  pair  of  bellowses  fall  of  holes.* 

Then  follows  the  song,  *  Here's  to  the  Jolly  Blacksmith.' 
The  next  toast  is : — 

*  True  hearts  and  sound  bottoms, 
Checked  shirts  and  leather  aprons.' 

This  is  followed  by  a  song  : — 

•  Tubal  Cain  our  ancient  father 
Sought  the  earth  for  iron  and  ore. 
More  precious  than  the  glittering  gold, 
Be  it  ever  so  great  a  store.'* 

The  chairman  rising,  says,  '  Gentlemen,  I  invite  you  to  drink  with 
rae  the  toast  of  the  evening,  *  To  the  memory  of  *  Old  Clem '  and 
prosperity  to  all  his  descendants.' ' " 

These  customs  have  been  observed  by  the  Brighton  Eailway  Com- 
pany's smiths  in  recent  years  in  celebrating  the  memory  of  '  Old  Clem ' ; 
but  lately  the  dinner  has  been  transferred  to  Jan.  25th  (the  birthday 
of  the  poet  Robert  Burns)  "  out  of  compliment  to  their  foreman,  an 
Ayrshire  man,  whose  birthday  also  occurs  on  that  day." 

Another  toast  used  on  these  occasions  is,  **  May  the  face  of  a  bright 
hammer  and  anvil  never  rust  for  the  want  of  a  job." 

A  London  smith  says :  "  A  supper  is  held  at  the  White  Horse, 
Castle  Street,  London  (the  latest  in  1883),  and  one  of  the  farriers  is 
dressed  in  a  new  apron  with  gilt  tags.  The  anvil  is  not  now  fired. 
There  is  a  special  drink  at  this  supper,  which  is  compounded  of  gin, 
eggs,  ginger  spices,  &c.  *  Old  Clem '  was  the  first  man  who  ever 
shod  a  horse." 

Mr.  E.  Packham  (Messrs.  Packham  and  Son),  Brighton,  writes  as 
follows  : — "  About  sixty  years  ago,  when  I  was  a  child,  I  was  present 
at  one  of  the  annual  celebrations  of  the  feast  which  was  then  held  in 
our  smiths'  shop  in  Church  Street  (now  the  Foundry),  the  place  used 

*  The  writer  has  not  yet  succeeded  in  obtaining  the  complete  words  of  this 
song. 


SOME  OLD  FARMING  CUSTOMS,  &C.  329 

for  shoeing  horses  being  converted  into  a  commodious  supper-room. 
In  Sussex,  it  appears,  the  day  has  been,  or  used  to  be,  commemorated 
chiefly  by  the  supper.  I  do  not  think  that  effigies  have  been  used  in 
our  neighbourhood ;  but  one  of  our  men,  who  has  worked  for  a  dock- 
yard contractor  at  Woolwich,  tells  me  that  it  was  customary  there  to 
have  *  Old  Clem  '  dressed  up,  and  carried  in  procession.  The  custom 
of  firing  the  anvils  with  gunpowder  was  continued  by  our  men  on  the 
saint's  day,  until  forbidden  by  the  authorities.' 

Frederick  E.  Sawyer,  F.R.Met.Soc. 


SOME  OLD  FARMING  CUSTOMS  AND 
NOTIONS  IN  ABERDEENSHIRE. 

N  the  day  the  plough  was  first  put  into  the  soil — "  streekit,'' 
or  "strykit"*  after  harvest — a  few  cakes  of  oaten  bread 
were  baked.  To  make  them  a  little  more  dainty,  they  were 
commonly  rubbed  with  cream  before  they  were  placed  on 
"the  girdle"  over  the  fire  to  be  baked.  Cream,  which,  if  scarce,  was 
saved  up  with  much  care,  was  churned,  and  made  into  butter.  When 
the  bread  and  the  butter  were  ready,  the  guidwife  took  some  of  them, 
along  with  a  "kebback"  and  whisky,  and  went  to  the  field  to  the 
ploughman, — commonly  the  guidman  himself  or  a  son,  for  in  those  old 
days  in  many  districts  each  family  tilled  its  own  holding.  He  cut  the 
cheese,  and  partook  of  the  dainties  carried  to  the  field.  A  piece  of 
the  cakes  was  given  to  each  horse,  if  the  animal  was  accustomed  to  eat 
them.  The  whole  household  partook  at  supper  of  the  bread,  the 
butter,  and  the  cheese. — (Told  by  one  whose  mother  carried  out  the 
custom  in  Pitsligo,  Aberdeenshire.) 

2.  Here  is  a  somewhat  different  form  of  the  ceremony,  and  it  comes 

♦  Folk' Lore  of  the  North-East  of  Scotland^  p.  181. 


330  SOME  OLD  FARMING  CUSTOMS 

from  the  parish  of  Aboyiie,  in  Aberdeenshire.  Two  brothers  and  a 
sister,  all  well  stricken  in  years,  and  full  of  "  frets,"  held  a  small 
farm.  They  required  a  man-servant.  He  entered  their  service  at  the 
Whitsunday  term,  and,  therefore,  had  to  begin  the  work  of  ploughing 
after  harvest.  When  harvest  was  finished,  he  proposed  about  the 
beginning  of  the  week  to  one  of  the  brothers  to  begin  ploughing. 
"  Oh,  na,  ye  needna  be  in  sic  a  hurry ;  there's  guid  time  yet."  So 
the  servant  turned  his  attention  to  something  else.  Next  day  the 
same  proposal  was  made  by  the  servant,  and  with  the  same  result. 
Next  day  leave  was  asked  to  begin  the  work.  "  Oh,  aye,  ye  can 
begin  on  Saiterday."  When  Saturday  came,  the  servant  again  asked 
if  he  would  now  yoke  his  horses.  "  Ye  needna  be  in  ony  hurry.  Jist 
step  oot  our,  an  begin  about  nine  o'clock."  The  servant  obeyed  his 
orders,  and,  by  the  time  he  was  at  the  end  of  the  field  with  the  first 
furrow,  his  master  was  beside  him  carrying  bread,  cheese,  and  a 
bottle  of  whisky.  The  servant  partook  of  the  bread  and  cheese,  and 
then  received  a  glass  of  the  whisky.  The  old  man  drank  a  glass 
himself,  then  filled  the  glass  again,  and  poured  it  over  the  bridle  of 
the  plough,  and  repeated  the  words,  "  Weel  fah  the  lawbour."  A 
piece  of  bread  and  cheese  was  then  carefully  wrapped  up  in  paper,  and 
firmly  tied  to  the  beam  of  the  plough  by  the  farmer,  who,  at  the  same 
time  laid  strict  injunctions  on  the  servant  not  to  take  it  ofi".  "  It  may 
fah  afi"  o't  sell,  or  the  dogs  may  eht  it.  Nae  maitter,  but  dinna  ye 
touch  it."  When  all  this  was  done  and  said,  the  master  added, 
"  Noo,  jist  tak  ye  anither  fur,  an  syne  louse.  Ye'll  be  ready  for  yir 
wark  on  Muninday's  mornin." — (Told  by  Mr.  Sim,  farmer,  Gateside, 
parish  of  Strachan,  and  he  learned  the  story  from  the  servant.) 

3.  In  ploughing,  a  stone  sometimes  gets  fixed  between  the  coulter 
and  the  sock.  Such  a  stone  thrown  over  the  dwelling-house  prevents 
the  cream  when  churned  from  becoming  butter. — (Pitsligo.) 

4.  Besides  putting  fire  and  salt  on  the  threshold  of  the  byre-door 
before  a  cow  the  first  time  she  left  the  byre  after  dropping  her  calf, 
some  guidwives  had  the  habit  of  cutting  a  little  of  the  hair  from  the 
animal's  tail,  and  placing  it  over  the  byre-door  in  the  "  eezin  o'  the 
wa." — (Pitsligo.  Told  by  one  who  followed  the  custom,  which  she  had 
received  from  her  mother.) 


AND  NOTIONS  IN  ABERDEENSHIRE.  33  1 

5.  A  mare  should  be  taken  outside  the  stable  to  drop  her  foal.* 
The  animal  that  was  brought  forth  inside  the  stable  would  not  cross  a 
ford,  or,  if  forced  into  it,  would  lie  down  in  it.  The  quality  of  crossing 
a  ford  quietly  was  of  much  value  in  a  horse  at  a  time  when  there  were 
few  bridges.  Hence  comes  the  proverb  about  one  who  is  too  ready  to 
desert  his  friends  in  the  hour  of  need,  "  He's  nae  ta  ride  the  water 
on."— (Pitsligo.) 

6.  All  shepherds  agree  in  saying  that,  before  a  storm  comes,  sheep 
become  frisky,  leap,  and  butt  or  "  box  "  each  other. 

7.  It  was  a  not  uncommon  notion  that  chickens  did  not  thrive  to  a 
woman  during  the  year  she  had  a  child.  Hence  the  saying,  "  Bairns 
an  chuckens  dinna  thrive  in  ae  yeer." — (Pitsligo.) 

8.  It  is  said  that,  if  it  thunders  when  chickens  are  within  a  short 
time  of  being  hatched,  they  die  in  the  egg.f 

9.  Among  the  poorer  crofters  and  small  farmers,  when  their  meal 
fell  short,  as  it  sometimes  did,  and  when  they  had  not  grain  ready  for 
grinding,  it  was  quite  common  to  borrow  from  a  neighbour  as  much  as 
would  tide  over  the  difficulty.  The  meal  was  willingly  given,  and 
most  punctually  returned,  and  not  unfrequently  with  interest,  in 
obedience  to  the  pretty  saying,  "  A  borrow  sud  gang  lauchin  hame." 
Some  there  were,  that,  if  they  had  just  taken  in  meal — "  gotten  in  a 
mailyar" — would  not  give  any  in  loan  till  part  of  the  newly-acquired 
meal  had  been  used  in  the  household. — (Pitsligo.  Told  by  one  whose 
mother  followed  the  custom.) 

10.  Along  the  sea-board,  in  districts  where  sea-weed — "waar" — is 
used  as  manure,  the  farmers  showed  much  anxiety  on  New- Year's 
morning  to  have  the  first  load  of  weed  that  was  taken  from  the  shore . 
When  the  first  load  was  carted  home,  a  small  quantity  was  laid  down 
at  each  door  of  the  farm-steading,  and  the  remainder  was  cast  into 
the  fields — a  portion  into  each  field.  This  was  supposed  to  bring 
good-fortune. — (Pitsligo.     Told  by  one  that  followed  the  custom.) 

11.  On  Christmas-eve  all  the  dishes  in  the  house  must  be  left 
clean.  Any  food,  therefore,  that  might  have  been  left  over  at  meals 
on  the  day  before  Christmas  had  to  be  carried  forth,  and  given  to  the 

*  Folh-Lore  of  the  North-East  of  Scotland,  p.  131. 

t  J.  Leite  de  Vasconcellos,  Tra  die  oes  popular 68  de  Portugal,  p.  101,  No.  224. 


332  FOLK-TALES  OP  INDIA. 

pigs  or  poultry.  It  must  on  no  account  remain  in  the  house. 
Between  twelve  and  one  o'clock  on  Christmas  morning  the  great  dish 
of  "Yeel  Sones"  was  made  ready.  All  of  the  household  had  to 
partake  of  it.  If  any  remained  unused  it  was  re-cooked,  and  served 
up  with  milk,  forming  part  of  the  Yeel  (Yule)  breakfast. — (Pitsligo. 
Told  by  one  whose  mother  was  in  the  habit  of  doing  so.) 

12.  No  bread  was  baked,  and  no  clothes-washing  was  done,  between 
Christmas  and  New- Year's  day. — (Pitsligo.) 

13.  The  dinner  on  New- Year's  day  was  always  more  dainty  than 
usual.  At  it  was  served  up  a  hen  or  a  duck  killed  that  morning. 
Among  the  first  acts  of  the  guidwife  on  that  morning  was  to  go  to  the 
hen-house,  select  a  victim,  kill  it,  and  make  it  ready  for  cooking  for 
dinner.  Blood  had  to  be  shed  on  the  morning  of  the  new  year.*— 
(Pitsligo.     Told  by  one  who  has  seen  her  mother  do  it.) 

14.  On  no  account  must  the  spinning-wheel  be  carried  from  one 
side  of  the  house  to  the  other  during  the  time  of  Christmas. — (Pitsligo.) 

Walter  Gregor. 


FOLK-TALES  OF  INDIA. 

{Continued  from  page  310.) 


The  Kukkuta  JATAKA.f 
The  Wise  Cock  and  the  Artful  Cat. 

N  former  times,  when  Brahmadatta  reigned  at  Benares, 
the  Bodhisat  was  reborn  in  the  forest  as  a  cock,  and 
lived  there  with  several  hundred  fowls.  Not  far  off  from 
him  there  also  dwelt  a  she-cat,  who  by  her  cunning 
artifices  ate  up  all  the  fowls  except  the  Bodhisat.  He  was  too  wary 
to  fall  into  her  clutches.     She  thought  to  herself,  "  This  cock  is  very 

*  FolJi^Lore  of  the  North-East  of  Scotland,  p.  202. 
t  Jdtaka  Booh,  vol.  ill.  No.  383,  p.  266. 


FOLK-TALES  OF  INDIA.  333 

artful,  but  be  is  not  aware  of  our  wiles  and  cleverness  in  plotting. 
I'll  talk  bim  over  by  telling  bim  that  I'll  be  bis  wife,  and  when  I  get 
bim  into  my  power  I'll  eat  him."  Then  the  cat  went  to  the  root  of 
a  tree  on  which  the  cock  was  sitting,  and  in  coaxing  terms  spake  this 
gdtha  : — 

"  O  lovely  bird,  with  feathers  bright  of  hue  I 
Thy  crest  is  red  and  high,  thou  fowl  of  heaven  1 
From  those  tree-tops  come  down,  my  love,  I  pray, 
I'll  be  thy  wife,  thou  shalt  have  nought  to  pay." 

After  listening  to  her  the  cock  thought,  "  This  cat  has  eaten  all  my 

kith  and  kin,  and  now  by  cajoling  intends  to  make  a  meal  of  me,  but 

I'll  send  her  packing."     Then  he  replies  in  the  following  gdtha  : — 

"  Four  feet  hast  thou,  my  chaimer  sweet, 
Two  feet  have  I,  thou  seest,  my  dear  ! 
We  birds  pair  not  with  quadrupeds, 
Go  seek  another  mate  elsewhere." 

Then  thought  the  cat,  "  This  fellow  is  very  sly,  but  I'll  get  over 

him  somehow  and  eat  him."  Then  she  gave  utterance  to  the  following 

gdtha  : — 

"  Oh  !  thy  chaste  wife  full  true  I'll  be, 
You'll  find  me  kind  in  word  and  deed. 
Me  wed  by  holy  Vedas'  rites, 
Thy  will  and  every  wish  I'll  do." 

Then  thought  the  cock,  *<  I  must  rebuke  this  cat  and  cause  her  to 

go  elsewhere."     So  he  uttered  the  following  gdtha  : — 

"  0  eater  of  birds  and  drinker  of  blood, 
Foul  thief  art  thou,  0  killer  of  cocks  ; 
Thou  seek'st  not  me,  sly  one,  to  wed 
By  holy  scripture's  sacred  rites." 

On  hearing  this  the  cat  made  ojff,  and  did  not  again  dare  to  look 
the  cock  in  the  face. 

A  gdtha  of  the  Buddha  says  : — 

"  Many  wiles  have  women  clever,  good  men  they  will  deceive 
With  soft  and  oily  words,  so  cat  would  cheat  the  cock. 
When  danger  does  arise  put  all  your  wits  to  work, 
Or  else  you'll  come  to  grief  and  after  dear  it  rue. 
The  wise  will  be  aware,  when  ought  that's  harmful's  near, 
As  cock  did  'scape  the  cat,  they  will  from  foes  get  free." 


334  FOLK-TALES  OF  INDIA. 

The  Dummedha  JItaka.* 
How  the  Worship  of  Tree-Sprites,  was  put  down. 

In  days  gone  by,  ^hen  Brahmadatta  reigned  at  Benares,  the 
Bodhisat  was  reborn  as  the  son  of  Brahmadatta,  the  principal  queen 
being  his  mother.  On  the  day  appointed  for  naming  him  they  called 
him  Brahmadattakumara.  When  he  was  sixteen  years  old  he  studied 
science  in  Takkasila,  became  versed  in  the  three  Vedas,  and  mastered 
the  eighteen  subjects  of  knowledge.  Then  (after  a  time)  his  father 
made  him  a  viceroy.  At  that  time  the  inhabitants  of  Benares  were 
given  over  to  the  worship  of  tree-sprites  ;  they  paid  reverence  to  them, 
and,  having  slaughtered  many  goats,  cocks,  and  hogs,  made  offerings 
to  them  of  the  flesh  and  blood  of  the  victims,  together  with  various 
kinds  of  flowers  and  perfumes.  The  Bodhisat  thought  to  himself 
"  Now  beings  that  observe  festivals  in  honour  of  tree-sprites  destroy 
much  life.  The  people,  I  see,  are,  for  the  most  part,  wedded  to  this 
bad  custom  ;  but  when,  after  my  father's  death,  I  come  to  the  throne, 
I  will  by  some  device  (without  injuring  any  one)  not  allow  them  to 
deprive  anything  of  life." 

One  day,  on  going  out  of  the  city  in  his  chariot,  he  saw  the  multi- 
tude assembled  together  at  a  certain  large  banyan-tree  doing  reverence 
to  the  "  sprite  "  that  had  been  reborn  in  that  tree;  and  desiring  to  obtain 
(by  means  of  oflferings,  &c.)  sons  and  daughters,  fame  and  wealth, 
or  whatever  else  they  had  most  set  their  hearts  upon,  he  came  down 
from  his  chariot,  drew  near  the  tree,  honoured  it  with  perfumes  and 
flowers,  made  a  libation  of  water,  solemnly  perambulated  it,  and  wor- 
shipped the  "  tree-sprite"  like  one  of  its  regular  devotees.  Then  going 
up  into  his  chariot  he  returned  to  the  city.  Henceforth  in  this  way, 
at  intervals,  he  used  to  visit  that  tree  and  there  pay  due  reverence  to 
it  as  if  he  were  addicted  to  the  worship  of  the  sprites. 

On  another  occasion  (after  the  death  of  his  father,  when  firmly 
seated  on  the  throne,  he  had  abandoned  the  four  evil  ways,  and,  keep- 
ing strictly  the  ten  royal  virtues,  was  ruling  his  subjects  justly)  he 
thought  to  himself,  "  My  great  wish  has  been  accomplished,  I  am 
established  on  the  throne ;  but  a  certain  matter  about  which  I  was 
*  Jdtaka  Book,  vol.  i.  No.  50,  p.  259. 


FOLK-TALES  OF  INDIA.  335 

tonnerly  very  anxious  I'll  now  caused  to  be  carried  out."  Calling 
together  his  ministers,  brahmans,  householders,  and  the  rest,  he  thus 
addressed  them  :  "  Perhaps  you  are  aware  by  what  means  I  came  to 
the  thi'one  ?  "  *'  No,  sire ;  we  are  not  acquainted  with  the  circum- 
stances," said  they.  "  Pray  did  you,"  he  asked,  "  ever  on  any  occasion 
see  me  honour  a  certain  banyan  tree  with  perfumes  and  the  rest, 
saluting,  and  paying  due  reverence  to  it  ? "  **  Yes,  sire,"  they 
replied.  "  Well,  at  that  time  I  made  this  vow,  '  If  I  come  to  the 
throne  I'll  make  offerings  to  thee,  0  sprite.'  By  the  power  of  this 
sprite  I  became  king,  and  now  I'll  present  offerings  to  it ;  so  do  ye 
quickly,  without  further  delay,  prepare  suitable  gifts  for  the  sprite." 
"  What  shall  we  take,  sire  ?  "  they  asked.  He  replied,  "  Oh  !  when 
I  petitioned  the  sprite  I  besought  it  thus,  *  Whoever  in  my  kingdom 
shall  keep  up  and  practice  the  taking  away  of  life  and  the  rest,  together 
with  the  *  five  immoral  practices  '  included  in  the  '  ten  sinful  actions ' 
(akusalakammapatha),  them  will  I  slay  and  make  offerings  of  their 
hearts  and  blood.'  Do  ye  then  make  proclamation  by  beat  of  drum 
to  this  effect,  '  Our  king,  when  he  was  even  viceroy,  made  the  follow- 
ing vow,  *  If  I  gain  the  throne  I'll  put  to  death  all  my  subjects  who 
shall  be  immoral,  and  offer  them  up.'  He  now,  taking  a  thousand 
wicked  men  constantly  practising  immoralities  of  the  five  and  ten 
kinds,  intends,  after  putting  them  to  death,  to  cause  offerings  of  their 
hearts  and  the  rest  to  be  presented  to  the  tree-sprites.  And  let  the 
people  pay  attention  to  this  matter.'  After  you  have  proclaimed  this 
edict,  whoever  henceforth  shall  practise  such  ill  deeds  (as  have  been 
already  mentioned),  I'll  take  a  thousand  of  them  and  make  a  sacrifice, 
so  shall  I  get  released  from  my  vow." 

In  explanation  of  the  matter  he  spake  the  following  gdtha  : — 

"  Of  fools  a  whole  thousand  I've  promised  to  slay, 
And  offer  to  wood-sprites  their  hearts  and  dear  blood. 
Full  many  unjust  I've  here  in  my  realms, 
To  be  quit  of  my  vow  I'll  sacrifice  them." 

When  the  ministers  and  the  rest  had  heard  the  words  of  the 
Bodhisat  they  promised  to  carry  out  his  injunctions.  They  made 
proclamation  by  beat  of  drum  in  the  city  of  Benares  for  twelve 
yojanas  round. 


336  FOLK-TALES  OF  INDIA. 

After  this  edict  was  issued  in  the  manner  enjoined,  there  remained 
not  one  individual  addicted  to  immoral  practices.  Thus  as  long  as 
Brahmadattakumara  continued  to  reign  there  was  not  to  be  found  a 
single  person  doing  even  one  (bad)  deed  included  in  the  five  and  ten 
sinful  actions. 

So  the  Bodhisat,  without  even  harming  a  single  individual,  made  all 
the  people  in  his  realm  observe  the  precepts.  He  himself,  too,  after 
giving  meritorious  gifts,  passed  away,  at  his  death,  along  with  his 
retinue,  and  filled  the  city  of  the  devas. 


The  Sasa  JAtaka.* 
The  Story  of  the  Hare  in  the  Moon. 

In  days  long  gone  by,  when  Brahmadatta  reigned  at  Benares,  the 
Bodhisat  was  re-born  among  the  hare-kind,  and  dwelt  in  the  forest. 
On  one  side  of  that  forest  there  was  the  foot  of  a  mountain,  on  another 
side  a  river,  and  a  border  village  on  the  other.  The  hare  had  three 
special  friends — a  monkey,  a  jackal,  and  an  otter.  These  four  wise 
creatures  lived  together,  getting  their  food  (during  the  day)  each  in 
his  own  respective  haunt  or  hunting-ground,  and  meeting  together  in 
the  evening.  The  wise  hare,  preaching  the  truth  to  these  three 
individuals,  said, — "  You  must  give  alms,  keep  the  commandments, 
and  observe  the  wj90safAa-fast."  They  agreed  to  follow  his  instructions. 
Having  entered  their  respective  quarters  in  the  jungle,  there  they 
lived  together.  "While  the  time  was  thus  passing  away  the  Bodhisat, 
looking  up  to  the  sky,  saw  the  moon,  and  knew  that  uposatha-daj  was 
on  the  morrow,  so  he  said  to  his  three  companions, — "  To-morrow  is 
*  fast-day  * ;  do  you  therefore  keep  the  precepts  and  observe  the  fast. 
Know,  too,  that  for  those  well-established  in  the  precepts,  almsgiving 
is  very  meritorious.  Therefore  when  a  beggar  comes  to  you  give  him 
of  the  food  you've  provided  for  your  own  repast,  and  then  eat  what 
is  left." 

"  Well,  let  it  be  so,"  they  agreed,  and  off  they  went  each  to  his  own 
dwelling-place.     The  next  day,  quite  early  in  the  morning,  the  otter 

•  Jdiaka  Boo?:,  vol.  ill.  No.  316,  p.  61. 


FOLK-TALES  OF  INDIA.  337 

said,  « I'll  go  in  search  of  food";  so  he  departed,  and  made  his  way  to 
the  bank  of  the  Ganges.  At  that  time  a  certain  fisherman  had  hooked 
seven  red  fish  (i-ohitas),  and  when  he  had  landed  them  he  strung  them 
through  with  a  flexible  twig  (withe).  Then  he  concealed  them  in  the 
sand  on  the  river-bank.  Intent  on  catching  fish,  he  wandered  along 
the  course  of  the  lower  Ganges  (leaving  his  fish  behind).  The  otter, 
getting  scent  of  his  prey,  scratched  up  the  sand,  saw  and  took  posses- 
sion of  the  fish.  Thrice  he  shouted  out, — "  Now  does  any  one,  I  pray, 
lay  claim  to  these  fish  ? "  Finding  no  owner  for  them  he,  with  his 
teeth,  laid  hold  of  the  withe,  by  which  the  fish  were  strung,  and 
deposited  them  in  his  own  jungle-retreat.  "  On  a  convenient  oppor- 
tunity I'll  eat  them."  Thus  saying,  he  lay  down  pondering  over  his 
precepts. 

The  jackal,  too,  leaving  his  retreat  in  search  of  food,  espied  in  a 
hut,  belonging  to  the  care-taker  of  an  adjoining  field,  two  spits,*  a 
lizard,  and  a  pot  of  curds.  Thrice  he  shouted  out, — "  Is  there  now, 
I  pray,  any  owner  of  these  goods  ?  "  Not  finding  any  one  who  claimed 
them,  he  hung  the  pot  about  his  neck  (by  means  of  the  string  for 
lifting  it  up)  ;  between  his  teeth  he  carried  the  spits  and  the  lizard, 
and  placed  them  in  the  jungle  where  he  slept,  saying,  "  I'll  eat  them 
at  the  proper  time."  Then  he  lay  down  and  throught  over  his  com- 
mandments. 

The  monkey  also  left  his  sleeping  quarters  to  go  into  the  wood  in 
search  of  food.  He  carried  off  from  thence  bunches  of  mangoes,  and 
placed  them  in  his  own  abode  in  the  forest,  saying,  "  I'll  eat  them  at 
the  proper  time."     He  then  lay  down  thinking  over  his  precepts. 

Just  about  that  time  also  the  hare  left  his  quarters  in  search  of 
his  food,  saying  "  I'll  eat  kusa  grass."  But  while  he  was  even  lying  in 
retreat  he  thought  to  himself,  "  I  can't  give  grass  to  those  that  come 
begging,  so  I'll  give  them  the  flesh  of  my  own  body. 

By  the  power  of  his  (the  hare's)  morality  the  white  stone  throne  of 
Indra  manifested  signs  of  heat.  On  considering  the  matter  he  dis- 
covered the  cause,  and  said,  "  I'll  put  the  hare-king  to  the  proof." 

First  he  went  to  the  abode  of  the  otter  and  stood  before  him,  dis- 

*  The  spits  were  for  roasting  the  lizard. 

Vol.  2.— Part  11.  z 


338  FOLK-TALES  OF  INDIA. 

guised  as  a  brahman.  "  O  brahman,  what  are  you  standing  there 
for  ?  "  said  the  otter.  *'  If  I  get  any  food  now  I  mean  to  keep  upo- 
satha  (to-morrow)  and  perform  the  duties  of  a  sramana,^*  replied  the 
brahman.  "Good!"  said  the  other,  "I'll  give  you  food."  While 
talking  he  gave  utterance  to  the  following  gdtha  : — 

"  Seven  fish,  all  red  of  hue,  from  yonder  stream, 
I've  got,  O  brahman  skilled  in  sacred  lore ! 
This  take  of  fish  unowned  is  mine,  I  trow, 
Accept  it  all  and  in  the  forest  dwell." 

The  brahman  made  answer,  "  It's  early  as  yet,  let  it  be  for  the 
present ;  I'll  see  about  it  bye-and-bye." 

Then  the  brahman  made  his  way  to  the  jackal,  who  said,  *'  Why 
are  you  standing  there  ?  "  He  gave  the  same  reply  as  he  did  before 
to  the  otter. 

The  jackal  said,  "  Good  I  I'll  give  you  food."  In  the  course  of 
conversation  with  him  he  spake  the  following  gdtha  : — 

"  From  yonder  field  two  spits  away  I  brought, 
A  lizard  broil'd  and  eke  a  pot  of  curds. 
All  these  are  mine  to  give,  0  brahman  poor, 
Enjoy  thy  fare  and  in  this  wood  abide." 

The  brahman  said,  "  It's  very  early  as  yet,  let  it  be  for  the  present; 
by-and-bye  I'll  think  about  it.'' 

Then  he  went  and  paid  a  visit  to  the  monkey,  who  said,  "  Why  are 
you  standing  there  ?  "  The  brahman  made  the  same  answer  as  before. 
'*Good! "  said  the  monkey,  "I'll  give  you  food.''  While  talking  with 
him  he  uttered  the  following  gdtha :  — 

**  Some  mangoes  ripe  and  water  cold  I've  here, 
Full  pleasant  is  the  grove  and  cool  the  shade. 
They  all  are  mine,  I  vow,  O  brahman  dear; 
Pray  have  them  all,  and  here  take  up  abode." 

The  brahman,  making  answer  as  before,  went  off  to  the  retreat  of 
the  wise  hare,  who  said,  "  Why  are  you  standing  there  ? "  He 
replied:  "If  I  get  any  food  now  I'll  observe  uposatha  (to-morrow)  and 
keep  the  precepts." 

On  hearing  this  the  Bodhisat  was  struck  with  grief  (because  he 
had  nothing  but  grass  to  give  him),  and  said,  "  0  brahman,  you  have 


FOLK-TALES  OF  INDIA  339 

done  well  to  come  to  me.  To-day  I  will  give  such  a  gift  as  has  never 
before  been  given.  Since  you  are  '  virtuous,'  and  will  not  destroy  life 
(willingly  or  wittingly),  go,  father,  collect  wood,  and  when  you've 
made  a  clear  fire  of  them  then  come  and  tell  me.  I'll  give  myself 
away  as  a  gift,  and  will  fall  into  the  midst  of  the  glowing  embers  ; 
and  when  my  body  is  roasted  thou  shalt  eat  of  my  flesh  and  endeavour 
to  walk  in  the  path  of  righteousness."  In  the  course  of  conversation 
he  spake  the  following  gdtha  : — 

"  The  hare  is  poor,  no  sesamum  has  he, 
Nor  beans  nor  rice ;  full  bare  the  larder  seems. 
Myself  I  give  thee  then,  me  take  and  roast, 
And  eat  thy  fill  and  hannt  the  forest  wild." 

When  Indra  heard  that  speech  of  his,  he  created  by  his  own  divine 
power  a  heap  of  live  coals  and  told  the  Bodhisat  that  all  was  ready. 
The  hare  raised  itself  from  the  grass,  approached  the  fire,  and  said, 
"  If  there  are  any  insects  adhering  to  the  tips  of  my  fur  let  them  not 
be  killed."  Thrice  did  he  shake  his  limbs,  and  then  he  presented  his 
whole  body  as  an  alms  to  the  brahman.  Springing  upon  the  heap  of  wood 
like  a  flamingo,  he  fell  with  cheerful  heart  into  the  heap  of  glowing 
coals.  But  the  fire  was  not  able  to  make  hot  even  a  single  hair  on 
the  body  of  the  Bodhisat  ;  he  was  as  cool  as  if  he  had  entered  the 
regions  of  frost  and  snow.  Then  he  addressed  Indra,  "  0  brahman, 
this  fire  you've  made  is  very  cool,  and  is  not  able  to  cause  a  single 
hair  on  my  body  to  become  hot.  How's  that  ?  "  "  O  wise  hare,  I  am 
not  a  brahman,  I  am  Indra,  and  have  come  here  to  put  thy  virtue  to 
the  test."  "  O  Indra,  do  thou  stand  there  awhile.  "Were  all  the  world 
combined  to  test  me  by  almsgiving,  assuredly  they  would  not  find  me 
unwilling  to  give."  Thus  saying,  he  uttered  a  mighty  shout  of  exulta- 
tion. Then  spake  Indra  to  him,  "  0  wise  hare,  let  thy  good  deed  be 
made  known  during  the  whole  halpa  *  {i.e.  as  long  as  the  world  lasts).'' 
Then  he  squeezed  the  mountain,  and  with  its  essence  he  drew  on  the 
surface  of  the  moon  the  figure  of  a  hare.  After  addressing  the 
Bodhisat  he  took  the  hare  from  the  fire,  and  in  that  forest,  even  in  the 
very  thicket  (where  he  used  to  pass  the  night),  he  set  him  (the  hare) 

*  "  The  sign  of  the  hare  in  the  moon  will  last  the  whole  kalpa."— Jafa^a-, 
No.  20  (English  translation,  p.  235). 

z  2 


340  FOLK-LORE  TERMINOLOGY. 

down  on  a  bed  of  tender  grass,  and  then  he  (Indra)  departed  to  his 
own  celestial  abode.  Moreover  these  four  wise  creatures  continued  to 
live  together  in  perfect  harmony  ;  they  fulfilled  the  precepts  and  kept 
the  uposatha-seryice.  At  their  death  they  passed  away  to  be  rewarded 
according  to  their  deeds.  Richard  Morris. 

{To  be  continued.) 


FOLK-LORE  TERMINOLOGY. 

[See  ante,  pp.  285,  311.] 

jHE  thanks  of  all  members  of  the  Society,  and  of  all 
students  of  folk-lore,  are  due  to  Mr.  Gomme  for  raising 
this  question.  It  has  probably  occupied  the  thoughts  of 
many  of  us  at  different  times  ;  and  an  opportunity  of 
public  discussion,  with  a  view  to  defining  the  scope  of  our  investiga- 
tions and  settling  our  terms,  is  one  that  should  be  eagerly  welcomed. 

The  definition  proposed  by  Mr.  Nutt  in  the  October  number  of  this 
Journal  for  the  science  of  folk-lore  is,  with  some  slight  qualification, 
excellent.  Anthropology  undoubtedly  deals  with  the  physical  as 
well  as  the  mental  characteristics  of  mankind.  We  have,  therefore,  no 
right,  in  using  the  term  Anthropology,  to  limit  its  meaning  to  psycho- 
logical phenomena ;  and  if  we  do  so  we  shall  run  the  risk  of  being 
misunderstood.  Accordingly,  it  is  better,  even  at  the  sacrifice  of 
neatness,  to  express  what  we  really  mean,  and  say  "  Folk-lore  is 
Anthropology  dealing  with  the  psychological  phenomena  of  uncivilised 
man."  Mr.  Nutt  uses  the  term  "  primitive  man "  in  his  definition. 
The  objections  to  "  primitive  "  have  perhaps  no  great  weight,  but  I 
prefer  the  word  "  uncivilised  "  :  it  conveys  no  notion  of  time-relation ; 
and  its  reach  is  a  little  more  extensive  than  "primitive."  Uncivilized 
man  is  ruled  by  his  imagination  and  emotions  rather  than  by  his 
very  limited  stock  of  knowledge,  "  at  once  em2>irical  and  traditional"; 
and  it  is  man  so  dominated,  whether  South  Sea  Islander,  Negro,  or 
Primitive  Aryan,  whether  Hindu  ascetic,  mediaeval  monk,  or  even 
the  English  rustic  of  to-dny,  who  forms  the  subject  of  our  study.     In 


FOLK-LORE  TERMINOLOGY.  341 

proportion  as  peoples  escape  from  the  dominion  of  imagination  and 
emotion,  and  become  guided  by  knowledge  and  the  trained  reason, 
they  cease  to  be  the  subjects  of  folk-lore.  This  distinction  is,  I  think, 
better  expressed  by  "  uncivilised"  than  "  primitive." 

It  is  most  convenient  next  to  define  our  terms :  we  shall  then  be  in 
a  position  to  classify  the  subjects  of  our  study.  It  is  perfectly  true 
that  we  have  not  equivalents  for  all  the  German  expressions  cited  by 
Mr.  Nutt.  But,  let  me  ask,  are  all  these  technical  words  necessary  ? 
Doubtless  they  are  highly  convenient;  but,  unhappily,  our  tongue 
has  lost  the  power  of  combination  retained  by  the  purer  Teutonic 
spoken  by  the  fellow-countrymen  of  Kuhn  and  Benfey  ;  and  unless 
these  terms  be  absolutely  necessary  we  must  be  content  to  do  without 
them,  as  luxuries  beyond  our  reach.  If  they  are  not  luxuries  we  shall 
have  to  invent  compound  words  of  a  more  or  less  clumsy  character 
to  express  them,  or  import  foreign  words.     But  let  us  see. 

The  word  sage  is  ordinarily  used  as  the  correlative  of  mdrchen.  The 
latter  is  a  story  the  scene  of  which  is  laid  at  some  undefined  place  and 
time;  it  is  not  believed  as  a  fact  by  the  teller,  nor  perhaps  by  the  hearers, 
and  it  agrees  in  other  respects  with  the  definition  of  Von  Hahn,  quoted 
by  Mr.  Nutt.  The  former,  on  the  other  hand,  is  generally  localised  in  the 
neighbourhood  where  it  is  told ;  and  frequently  consists  of  an  adventure, 
or  series  of  adventures,  attributed  to  some  well-known  personage.  One 
or  the  other  condition  it  always  fulfils ;  and,  moreover,  it  is  believed 
in  as  a  fact  by  the  teller,  or  related  by  him  as  something  which  he  has 
heard  from  his  elders  who  did  believe  it.  May  I  add  that  a  mdrchen 
is  clearly  mythical,  a  sage  not  invariably  so  ?  Now  it  is  perfectly 
true  that  we  have  no  native  words  to  express  these  two  distinct 
classes  of  folk-tales.  Nursery-tale  is  the  nearest  approach  we  can 
make  to  Mdrchen,  and  we  can  only  indicate  a  Sage  under  the  general 
term  Tradition.  The  word  Saga,  the  Norse  equivalent  of  Sage,  has, 
however,  been  made  so  familiar  to  us  by  Longfellow,  and  other 
writers,  that  it  has  practically  been  adopted  into  the  language, 
and  there  really  seems  no  reason  why  it  should  not  be  used  in  the 
sense  above  indicated  of  Sage.  Its  previous  literary  use  in  a  some- 
what looser  way  need  not  prevent  our  adopting  it,  and  giving  it  a 
more  strictly  defined  scientific  meaning. 


342  FOLK-LORE  TERMINOLOGY. 

Turning  to  the  GeiTaan  compounds  of  Sage  we  must  not  expect  to 
be  able  to  manufacture  phrases  out  of  a  foreign  word  like  Saga  quite 
80  easily.  Nor  is  it  required  that  we  should.  We  have  an  exact 
equivalent  of  sag-kreis ;  and  when  we  speak  of  the  Trojan  cycUy  or 
the  Arthurian  cycle^  or  the  cycle  of  Charlemagne,  we  use  a  term  which 
is  perfectly  intelligible  and  accurate.  There  is  an  ambiguity  in  the 
German  Tcreis  which  compels  definition  by  the  prefix  sag^  but  there 
is  no  such  ambiguity  in  the  English  word ;  and  every  body  knows 
that  we  mean  the  Trojan,  or  the  Arthurian  legendary  cycle,  or  the 
legendary  cycle  of  Charles  the  Great.  Then,  as  to  sag-zug,  we  have 
the  word  incident^  which  expresses  one-half  of  the  idea  comprised  in 
this  compound ;  and,  if  we  only  had  a  word  to  indicate  the  pictorial 
features  of  a  story,  I  am  not  at  all  sure  that  it  would  not  be  an 
advantage  to  us  to  express  the  incident  and  the  pictorial  feature  by 
distinct  terms.  On  the  other  hand,  such  compounds  as  god-saga, 
hero-saga,  elf-saga,  ghost-saga,  and  even  world-saga  (unless  theurgy, 
or  theogony  were  preferred),  would  present  no  difficulty. 

With  regard  to  mdrchen,  however,  I  am  somewhat  at  a  loss.  We 
must  have  a  word  to  express  this,  and  at  present  I  can  think  of  no 
better  translation  than  nursery-tale.  The  chief  objection  to  this  is 
that  as  a  descriptive  title  it  applies  equally  to  a  cumulative  tale  like 
"  The  Wifie  and  her  Kidie,"  and  perhaps  to  some  other  varieties  of 
folk-tale.  But  with  the  exception  of  the  cumulative  tale  these  varieties 
are  of  little  importance,  and  their  existence  ought  not  to  hinder  our 
deciding  on  the  term  suggested.  The  term  cumulative  tale  itself, 
though  open  to  some  objection,  may  stand,  in  the  absence  of  a  better, 
to  designate  the  class  to  which  it  relates.  We  shall  not  have  to  go 
very  far  for  an  equivalent  for  schwank,  as  droll  expresses  it  exactly ; 
while  beast-tale  may  render  thiermdrchen.  Thus  we  should,  with  a 
little  ingenuity,  and  without  much  loss  of  elegance,  find  or  make 
all  the  technical  terms  we  want :  some  of  those  used  by  the  Germans 
and  given  by  Mr.  Nutt  I  am  inclined  to  think  we  should  speedily 
discover  to  be  unnecessary. 

I  cannot  altogether  accept  Mr.  Nutt's  division  of  the  subjects  of 
folk-lore,  though  some  of  the  tei-ms  he  proposes  for  the  classes  are  an 
addition   to   oar   technical   vocabulary.      I  would  rather  divide   the 


FOLK-LORE  TERMINOLOGY.  343 

science  first  into  two  departments,  calling  the  one  folk-thought  and  the 
other  folk-practice^  or,  still  better,  folk-wont.  Under  the  former  head 
I  reckon  : — 

1.  Tales  of  all  kinds,  sagas  (such  as  world- sagas,  god-sagas,  hero- 
sagas,  elf-sagas,  ghost-sagas,  &c.),  nursery-tales,  drolls,  cumulative- 
tales,  and  apologues. 

2.  Folk-songs,  under  their  various  heads. 
8.   Weather-lore. 

4.  Proverbs. 

5.  Local  and  personal  saws,  and  prophecies. 

6.  Riddles. 

The  term  folk-wit,  suggested  by  Mr.  Nutt  to  comprise  the  last  three 
classes,  is  excellent. 

7.  Folk-speech.  I  think  the  inclusion  of  this  study,  as  suggested 
by  Mr.  Nutt,  may  very  well  be  defended,  and  at  all  events  it  would  be 
wise  to  adopt  it  provisionally. 

Under  the  head  of  Folk-wont  I  reckon  : — 

1.  Worship,  corresponding  very  nearly  to  the  class  of  sagas  in 
folk -thought,  and  including  not  only  god- worship  but  luck-worship, 
and  every  practice  the  object  of  which  is  to  propitiate  the  powers  which 
are  believed  to  influence  man's  fortunes  or  destiny. 

2.  Folk-law.  Although  the  customs  of  savage  and  barbarous 
peoples  do  not  generally  come  within  the  juridical  definition  of  law,  I 
prefer  this  term  to  that  of  Folk-wont,  because  the  latter  covers  a  larger 
ground,  and  will  be  more  usefully  as  well  as  accurately  employed  to 
denote  the  whole  range  of  folk-practice. 

3.  Folk-leechcraft,  including  so  much  of  magic  as  is  not  included 
under  the  head  of  worship.  Leechcraft  is  an  established  word, 
expressing  exactly  the  thought,  and  is  therefore  better  than  leechdom. 

4.  Games,  including  dramatic  representations,  so  far  as  they  may 
not  be  found  under  any  of  the  classes  of  folk-thought. 

5.  Folk-craft,  including,  in  art  and  industry,  the  art  and  industry  of 
warfare,  hunting,  and  every  other  means  by  which  uncivilized  man 
supports  himself. 

Other  classes  will  doubtless  occur  to  students  of  folk-lore;  but  the 
above  list,  though  imperfect,  will  afford  sufficient  indications  of  the 
lines  of  the  scheme.     As  in  the  physical  sciences,  the  different  classes 


•^44  FOLK-LORE  TERMINOLOGY. 

frequently  show  a  tendency  to  run  into  one  another ;  and  it  is  some- 
times difficult  to  say  to  which  class  a  given  specimen  may  properly 
belong.  This  will  be  found  particularly  the  case  with  the  classes  of 
Worship,  Folk-law,  and  Folk-leechcraft ;  and  even  Folk-thought  and 
Folk-wont  will  not  always  be  distinguishable.  This  is,  however,  a 
difficulty  inseparable  from  any  mode  of  classification. 

There  is  one  other  question  of  minor  importance ;  yet  one  on  which  it 
is  still  desirable  there  should  be  an  understanding  for  the  avoidance  of 
confusion  in  our  metaphors,  if  not  in  the  minds  of  our  readers.  How 
shall  we  distinguish  the  divisions  corresponding  to  those  in  zoology 
and  botany,  known  as  genera,  species^  and  varieties?  The  word 
variant  has  been  used  for  some  years  by  writers  on  folk-tales ;  and  it 
has  now  obtained  too  firm  a  footing  to  be  dislodged.  But  there  is  no 
need  to  dislodge  it,  as  it  is  the  very  word  we  want.  Type  is,  of  course, 
its  proper  correlative,  and  may  be  used  to  express  a  species ,  of  which 
the  individual  members  are  variants.  In  that  case  it  would  be  con- 
venient to  call  the  species  by  the  name  of  some  well-known  example, 
and  to  take  that  example  as  the  type  or  standard  to  which  the  other 
specimens  more  or  less  nearly  conform.  Thus,  applying  this  mode  of 
classification  to  folk-tales,  we  may  speak  of  the  Feau  d'Ane  ti/pe,  or  the 
King  Lear  type.  A  number  of  types  may  be  included  together  in  a 
group ;  and  the  group  may  be  named  from  the  central  idea  which 
links  the  types  together.  Thus,  we  may  have  a  group  of  stories 
known,  say,  as  the  Rejected  Child  group.  This  would  include  at  least 
four  types,  viz.,  the  King  Lear  type,  in  which  the  conduct  of  the  elder 
children  is  strongly  contrasted  with  that  of  the  youngest  ;  the  Joseph 
type,  in  which  the  conduct  of  the  elder  children  is  contrasted,  but  the 
glory  of  the  younger  chiefly  dwelt  on ;  the  King  of  France  trjpe,  in 
which  the  story  of  the  elder  children  is  dropped;  and  the  Fope 
Innocent  type,  the  adventures  of  an  only  child  who  has  fallen  under  his 
father's  unjust  anger. 

I  have  spoken  only  of  the  application  of  this  mode  of  classification 
to  folk-tales.  I  am  not  qualified  to  speak  definitely  as  to  its  applic- 
ability to  other  departments  of  the  science.  At  present,  however,  I 
know  of  no  reason  why  it  should  not  apply  equally  well ;  but  on  this 
point  I.  hope  we  shall  have  the  opinions  of  other  members  of  the 
Society  who  are  better  able  to  judge.  E.  Sidney  Hartland. 


^: 


FOLK-LOKE  TERMINOLOGY.  345 

As  discussion  is  invited,  I  propose  to  make  a  few  critical  remarks 
on  the  earlier  part  of  Mr.  Nutt's  letter.  Mr.  Nutt  gives  good 
reasons  why  folk-lore  should  have  a  wider  scope  than  is  given  to  it  by- 
some  Folk-lorists.  His  suggestion  that  it  should  be  split  up  into 
different  branches,  each  corresponding  to  a  section  of  Anthropology 
dealing  with  civilized  man,  is  a  valuable  one.  At  the  same  time, 
the  definition  of  folk-lore  as  "  Anthropology  dealing  with  primitive 
man  "  is  not  perfect.  It  leaves  out  of  view  the  fact  that  Anthropology 
has  physical  as  well  as  psychological  phenomena  to  deal  with.  A 
more  correct  definition  would  be  "  that  portion  of  Anthropology  which 
deals  with  the  psychological  phenomena  of  primitive  man."  Folk-lore 
would  thus  be  equivalent  to  primitive  culture,  which  Mr.  Cutter, 
in  his  letter  to  the  Library  Journal,  quoted  by  Mr.  Gomme,  suggests 
the  propriety  of  classing  as  a  division  of  Anthropology.  Mr.  Nutt's 
use  of  the  term  "  primitive "  is  unobjectionable.  It  is  now  generally 
employed  as  denoting  early  as  distinguished  from  first^  to  denote 
which  the  term  primeval  is  more  generally  used. 

Whether  folk-lore  should,  however,  have  so  wide  a  definition  as 
proposed,  or  whether,  as  Mr.  Nutt  remarks,  the  study  of  man  in  his 
primitive  stage  is  folk-lore,  is  another  question.  What  that  would 
require  may  be  seen  by  reference  to  Mr.  E.  B.  Tyler's  Anthropology, 
where  thirteen  out  of  sixteen  chapters  are  devoted  to  the  consideration 
of  the  psychological  phenomena  of  man.  It  appears  to  me  to  be  very 
undesirable  that  the  scope  of  the  Folk- Lore  Society  should  be  so 
extended  as  to  take  in  so  large  a  portion  of  the  subjects  embraced  by 
Anthropology,  especially  as  the  Anthropological  Institute  is  doing 
such  good  work  in  the  same  direction.  I  much  doubt,  moreover, 
whether  Mr.  Nutt's  division  (7,  Folk- craft)  belongs  legitimately  to 
folk-lore.  Although  art  and  industry  may,  as  distinguished  from 
l^physical  phenomena,  be  described  as  psychological,  yet  as  visible 
-expressions  of  thought  they  should  rather  be  classed  as  quasi-physical. 
'l  would  substitute  ioWi-science  for  folk-craft,  which  would  considerably 
reduce  the  range  of  subject,  while  providing  a  place  for  weatherAovQ 
and  other  subjects  not  included  in  other  divisions. 

It  is  a  question  also  whether  Mr.  Nutt's  division  (3)  should  stand. 
Much  of  leechdom  is  magic,  which  Mr  Tylor  places  with  science  ;  and 
even  if  magic  were  removed  from  science  and  relegated  to  belief  (1), 


346  FOLK-LORE  TERMINOLOGY. 

the  result  would  bo  merely  that  leechdom  would  come  chiefly  within 
this  division.  It  has  some  science,  but  still  more  of  it  is  either  magic 
or  faith.  Division  8,  Folk-speech,  should  certainly  be  excluded  from 
folk-lore,  the  interests  of  which  may  be  injuriously  affected  by  too 
great  an  extension  of  its  scope. 

Let  me  add  that  the  protest  made  by  Mr.  Nutt  against  folk-loro 
being  confounded  with  comparative  mythology  cannot  be  too  strongly 
supported.  C.  Staniland  Wake. 

The  time  has  certainly  arrived  when  the  common  vagueness  of 
ideas  connected  with  the  place  of  folk-lore  in  general  classification  and 
the  arrangement  of  its  various  sections  should  come  to  an  end.  That 
the  time  is  ripe  for  a  thorough  consideration  of  the  subject  is  shown 
by  the  simultaneous  discussion  raised  by  Mr.  Gomme  in  the  Folk-Lore 
Journal  and  by  Mr.  Cutter  in  the  Library  Journal.  I  am  glad  to  see 
that  my  friend  Mr.  Nutt  has  helped  the  matter  on  considerably  by  his 
interesting  letter  in  the  last  number  of  the  Folk-Lore  Journal,  but 
whoever  attempts  to  bring  the  subject  under  regulation  is  sure  to  lay 
himself  open  to  criticism ;  in  fact,  if  a  basis  is  arrived  at,  it  can  only 
be  arrived  at  after  a  considerable  amount  of  discussion. 

It  is  satisfactory  to  find  that  Mr.  Nutt  considers  folk-lore  to  be  a 
branch  of  Anthropology,  for  if  we  agree  to  this  and  set  aside  the 
claims  of  comparative  mythology  the  ground  will  be  considerably 
cleared.  We  must  first  have  a  definition  of  the  main  subject  before 
we  can  sub-divide,  and  this  Mr.  Nutt  takes  care  to  give  us  before 
proceeding  further.  Every  one  who  attempts  to  define  knows  the 
difficulty  he  undertakes,  and  will  not  be  surprised  that  others  reject  his 
definition.  Still,  though  rejected,  it  may  help  us  towards  arriving  at 
something  more  likely  to  be  accepted.  Mr.  Nutt  says,  "  Folk-lore  is 
Anthropology  dealing  with  primitive  man,"  This  definition  is  too 
comprehensive,  in  that  it  takes  in  all  parts  of  Anthropology  ;  and  not 
comprehensive  enough,  in  that  it  deals  only  with  primitive  man  ;  and 
moreover  it  fails  to  give  a  reason  for  the  aqmrate  existence  of  folk-lore. 
Certainly  Mr.  Nutt  gives  a  special  meaning  to  the  vague  term 
*'  primitive  man,"  but  then  I  think  that  as  folk-lore  can  actually  come 
into  existence  in  this  nineteenth  century,  so  it  may  be  found  among  the 
civilized  as  well  as  among  the  "  not  civilized."     Little  bits  of  senseless 


FOLK-LORE  TERMINOLOGY.  347 

superstition  are  not  confined  to  Maori,  Aztec,  or  Dorsetshire  hind  ;  and 
it  Avas  to  the  men  of  Athens  that  St.  Paul  said,  '*  I  perceive  that  in  all 
things  ye  are  too  superstitious." 

Folk-lore  must  be  content  with  a  corner  in  the  vast  field  of  Anthro- 
pology, and  the  study  will  not  be  advanced  by  being  made  too  wide. 
The  cardinal  idea  which  must  not  be  lost  sight  of  is  the  opposition  of 
folk-lore  to  literature,  or  to  written  and  systematized  learning.  Folk- 
lore is  the  unwritten  learning  of  the  people.  This  is  well  illustrated 
in  the  two  familiar  cases  of  ballads  and  proverbs.  A  popular  ballad, 
which  is  sung  in  the  country  side  in  many  versions,  whose  origin  cannot 
be  traced  and  whose  author  is  unknown,  belongs  to  folk-lore;  but  the 
poem  written  by  the  poet  at  his  study-table,  although  he  may  style  it 
a  ballad,  belongs  to  literature.  In  the  same  way  a  proverb  which  is 
on  a  thousand  lips  belongs  to  folk-lore,  while  an  apophthegm,  although 
almost  identical  in  form,  belongs  to  literature.  On  these  grounds  I 
strongly  object  to  any  such  term  as  folk-literature.  With  regard  to 
the  other  terms  I  will  not  now  remark  further. 

If  Mr.  Nutt  will  carry  out  the  idea  which  he  expresses  in  relation 
to  comparative  mythology,  he  will  perhaps  be  nearer  a  satisfactory 
definition.  He  writes, — "  All  or  nearly  all  the  facts  of  comparative 
mythology  are  to  be  found  in  folk-belief  in  solution ;  a  great  many 
facts  of  folk-belief  are  to  be  found  in  comparative  mythology  crystal- 
lised.^^ In  point  of  fact,  nothing  comparative  can  really  be  folk-lore, 
and  here  I  think  it  necessary  to  call  attention  to  the  title  itself. 
Anthropology  is  the  science  which  relates  to  man;  biology  is  the 
science  which  relates  to  life  ;  but  folk-lore  can  scarcely  be  called  a 
science  at  all,  for  it  is  the  thing  itself.  One  of  the  chief  objects  of  the 
collection  and  arrangement  of  the  facts  of  folk-lore  is  to  generalise  and 
philosophise,  but  the  generalisations  which  we  arrive  at  will  not  be 
folk-lore;  and  it  is  a  question  whether  we  have  not,  in  addition  to 
defining  folk-lore  and  naming  its  sub-divisions,  to  find  a  name  for  the 
science  which  is  being  formed  by  the  many  enthusiastic  workers  who 
are  now  banded  together  as  folk-lorists.  Henry  B.  Wheatley. 

As  my  letter  in  answer  to  Mr.  Nutt  must  stand  over  for  want  of 
space,  I  would  just  observe  that  I  cannot  agree  with  him  that  folk-lore 


348  NOTES  AND  QUERIES. 

should  be  defined  as  dealing  with  primitive  man  without  some  explana- 
tion as  to  how  it  so  deals.  Surely  folk-lore  deals  primarily  with  the 
sun'ival  of  primitive  customs  and  beliefs  among  civilized  races,  and  is 
comparable  with,  not  identical  with,  the  living  primitive  customs  and 
beliefs  of  savage  races.  I  hope  to  discuss  this  view  of  the  case  at 
greater  length  next  month,  but  take  this  opportunity  of  throwing  out 
my  suggestion  as  it  is  in  opposition  to  that  of  my  friend  Mr.  Nutt.  I 
strongly  urge  that  Folk-lore  is  a  science  by  itself,  with  distinct  work  of 
its  own  to  accomplish,  but  I  must  protest  against  its  being  only  another 
name  for  anthropology.  The  sanction  at  the  back  of  folk-lore  is 
tradition.  Thus  traditional  custom,  traditional  belief,  traditional 
stories — and  no  custom  or  belief  originating  now,  whether  m  civilized 
or  savage  races — can  be  defined  as  folk-lore.  There  can  be  no  modern 
folk-lore,  whereas  the  psychological  phenomena  with  which  anthro- 
pology deals  exist  now,  and  new  facts  will  present  themselves  as 
society  progresses.  G.  L.  Gomme. 


NOTES  AND  QUEEIES. 

Confirmation  Folk-lore.  —  I  cited  (p.  89)  in  Folk  Medicine  a 
passage  from  Mrs.  Latham's  West  Sitssex  Folk-Lore  as  to  sufferers 
from  disease  presenting  themselves  for  repeated  confirmation  under 
the  impression  that  the  bishop's  blessing  would  cure  anything.  I  find 
a  notice  illustrative  of  this  in  Mrs.  Martin's  Memories  of  Seventy  Years. 
When  Gilbert  Wakefield  was  curate  at  Stockport,  in  1 778,  he  relates 
an  anecdote  of  a  woman,  old  enough  to  be  his  grandmother,  who  was 
confirmed  for  ihQ  fourth  time,  "because  she  found  herself  strengthened 
so  much  by  the  bishop's  hands.'' — Memories  of  Seventy  YearSj  by  One 
of  a  Literary  Family.   Edited  by  Mrs.  Herbert  Martin.  1883.  P.  181. 

Glasgow.  William  George  Black. 

St.  John's  Eve  in  Norway, — "  There  were  curious  aspects  of 
human  life  too.  One  night,  July  2 — St.  John's  Day  by  the  old 
reckoning — as  we  lay  at  anchor  in  a  gorge,  which  from  the  land  must 
have  been  inaccessible,  we  saw  a  large  fire  blazing  and  figures  leaping 
through  the  flame.     It  was  the  relic  of  a  custom  once  wide  as  the 


NOTES  AND  QUERIES.  349 

northern  hemisphere,  on  the  festival  of  the  summer  solstice;  old  as  the 
Israelitish  Prophet  who  saw  the  children  passed  through  the  fire  to 
Moloch.  I  observed  the  same  thing  forty-three  years  ago  in  the 
market-place  at  Killarney.  Thousands  of  years  it  has  survived  down 
to  these  late  times  of  ours,  in  which,  like  much  besides,  it  will  now 
end,  dissolved  in  the  revolutionary  acids  of  scientific  civilisation." — 
J.  A.  Froude,  "  Norway  Once  More,"  Longman's  Magazine,  No.  xxiv. 
Oct.  1884,  p.  592.  William  George  Black. 

Glasgow. 

Welsh  Folk-lore  Items.— At  the  Archaeological  Association  Con- 
gress at  Tenby  some  interesting  notes  were  given.  The  party  having 
halted  at  Gumfreyston  church  it  was  noted  that  on  the  hillside,  below 
the  church,  there  is  one  of  the  holy  wells  which  are  not  infrequent  in 
Wales.  Some  curious  old  customs  connected  with  the  parish  were 
given  in  a  paper  prepared  by  Miss  Bevan,  from  which  it  appears  that 
within  the  last  fifty  years  on  Easter  Day  the  villagers  used  to  repair 
to  a  well  called  "  the  Pinweli,"  and  throw  a  crooked  pin  into  the 
water.  This  was  called  '*  throwing  Lent  away."  The  field  in  which 
this  well  is  situate  is  called  "  Verwel,"  perhaps  from  verwelen,  Flem., 
to  vault;  and  it  therefore  seems  probable  that  it  was  once  covered  by 
one  of  the  barrel -vaulted  roofs  so  common  in  Pembrokeshire.  On 
Lammas  Sunday  little  houses,  called  "  Lammas  Houses,"  were  set  up 
on  "  corse."  They  were  made  of  sods,  reeds,  and  sticks,  and  a  fire 
was  lighted  inside  them,  and  apples  roasted,  people  paying  a  penny  to 
go  in  and  have  a  roasted  apple.  At  the  bottom  of  the  street,  near 
the  brook,  is  a  large  upstanding  stone  with  a  small  round  hole  in  the 
top,  and  there  is  a  saying  that  until  you  have  put  your  finger  in  this 
hole  you  cannot  say  you  have  been  in  St.  Florence  church. 

Witchcraft  in  Dorsetshire.  — On  Thursday  the  Sherborne  magis- 
trates heard  the  charge  against  Tamar  Humphries,  a  married  woman, 
for  assaulting  an  old  woman  named  Sarah  Smith,  on  the  19th  Sep- 
tember. Complainant  said  she  lived  in  Cold  Harbour,  was  83  years 
of  age,  and  lived  next  door  to  the  defendant.  On  the  19th  she  was 
digging  potatoes  in  her  garden  when  the  defendant  came  to  her,  put 
her  hands  on  her  shoulders,  and  said,  "  Oh,  you  Sal  Smith,  what's 
thee  done  to  my  daughter?     I'll  draw  the  blood  of  thee,''  and  further 


350  NOTES  AND  QUERIES. 

said  she  would  do  this  because  "  she  should  not  bewitch  her  daughter." 
Defendant  then  repeatedly  stabbed  her  with  a  stocking-needle  about 
her  arms  and  hands  and  made  them  bleed. — Bristol  Mercury^  4  Oct. 
1884. 

The  Divining  Rod. — The  Paris  correspondent  of  The  Times  men- 
tions the  death  of  a  Mdme.  Cailhava.  She  may  be  remembered  in 
connection  with  a  search  for  hidden  treasure  in  the  cathedral  of  St. 
Denis,  commenced  by  her  with  a  divining  rod,  at  first  authorised,  then 
owing  to  public  remonstrance  and  ridicule,  forbidden.  Mdme.  Cailhava 
has  just  died,  in  very  straitened  circumstances,  but  a  believer  to  the 
last  in  the  virtues  of  the  divining  rod. 

Dream  Superstition  in  Staffordshire. — A  singular  case  of  super- 
stition came  under  the  notice  of  the  Walsall  borough  coroner  on 
Thursday,  whilst  holding  an  inquest  on  the  body  of  a  little  girl 
named  Brown,  who  was  found  drowned  in  the  canal  near  Piatt's 
Bridge,  on  Wednesday.  The  child's  mother  said  she  had  kept  her 
little  girl  at  home  because  she  had  **  a  dread "  upon  her  in  conse- 
quence of  having  three  nights  in  succession  dreamed  of  baking  bread. 
She  had  lost  other  children,  and  on  each  occasion  had  similar  dreams 
before  the  child  died.  Owing  to  her  dream  she  had  kept  the  girl 
away  from  school,  and  had  refused  to  allow  her  to  leave  the  house. — 
Shrewsbury  Chronicle,  6  Sept.  1884. 

Burial  Superstition. — Great  excitement  has  been  caused  by  the 
mysterious  disappearance  from  Kilmally  burial-ground,  near  Ennis,  of 
the  coffins  containing  the  remains  of  Mr.  Marcus  Deane,  J.P.,  and 
Miss  Barnes,  an  English  governess  in  Mr.  Deane's  family.  The 
general  opinion  is  that  the  remains  have  been  carried  away  and  buried 
in  some  other  spot  to  prevent  their  removal  out  of  the  parish  to  the 
new  cemetery,  which,  according  to  a  superstition,  would  entail  famine 
and  pestilence  on  the  parishioners. — Shrewsbury  Chronicle^  8  Oct.  1884. 

Sailors'  Superstitions  in  Shetland.— The  following  passages  from 
a  letter  dated  from  Vaila,  Shetland,  October  12,  1884,  and  commu- 
nicated by  Mr.  J.  Sands  to  the  Glasgow  Herald  of  20th  October  last, 
are  worth  quoting  : — **  In  a  sequestered  island  like  Foula,  situated  in 
the  midst  of  the  open  ocean,  at  a  distance  of  fifteen  miles  from  the 
nearest   land,    and   that   land   of    a  wild   and    desolate   appearance, 


NOTICES  AND   NEWS.  351 

especially  in  the  long  winter,  the  instinctive  belief  in  the  supernatural 
is  certain  to  be  more  active  than  in  the  minds  of  those  who  dwell  in  a 
crowd,  and  are  immersed  in  business  or  occupied  with  frivolities. 
About  fifty  years  ago  a  boat  with  six  men,  when  sailing  from  Walls 
to  Foula,  was  suddenly  surrounded  by  an  immense  multitude  of 
curious  creatures,  resembling,  but  with  fishy  modifications,  men, 
women,  horses,  cattle,  sheep,  cats,  dogs,  and  unicorns.  The  whole  sea 
as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach  was  alive  with  them.  Some  just  peeped 
above  the  surface,  whilst  others  gambolled  on  it  or  stood  on  the  waves 
and  bent  over  the  boat.  Naturally  the  crew  were  much  astonished ; 
but  they  had  the  courage  to  steer  through  the  marvellous  throng,  and 
arrived  safely  at  Foula,  where  to  the  end  of  their  lives  they  described 
the  extraordinary  spectacle  to  the  present  generation,  who  are  as  firm 
believers  in  its  reality  as  the  eye-witnesses  were.  They  will  not  listen 
to  the  explanation  that  the  apparition  may  have  been  merely  what 
sailors  call  "  a  seal's  wedding,"  assisted  by  imagination.  They  aver 
that  every  animal  on  the  land  has  its  duplicate  in  the  sea  ;  although 
these  marine  doubles  seldom  appear  on  the  surface.  Upon  the  keel  of 
every  Foula  boat  a  copper  coin  is  nailed  to  guard  her  from  the  attacks 
of  a  huge  monster  called  the  Brigdy,  which,  from  the  description, 
must  belong  to  the  Discoboli  of  the  third  order  of  fishes.  It  sticks 
by  its  sucker  fins  to  the  sides  of  a  boat,  and  tries  to  capsize  her,  and 
nothing  but  copper  will  detach  it.  Where  the  precaution  of  nailing  a 
penny  on  the  keel  had  been  neglected,  a  clog  with  copper  tacks  in  it 
has  been  dragged  in  the  wake  of  the  boat,  and  found  to  be  efiective." 


NOTICES  AND  NEWS. 

The  Booh  of  Sindihdd ;  or,  the  Story  of  the  King,  his  Son,  the  Damsel, 
and  the  Seven  Vazirs.  From  the  Persian  and  Arabic,  vfith 
Introduction  and  Appendix.  By  W.  A.  Clouston.  Privately 
printed,  1884.     8vo.  pp.  Ivi.  385. 

The  study  of  this  collection  of  stories,  on  the  deceits  and  tricks  of 
women,  has  been  made  accessible  by  the  publication  of  the  Society's 


352  NOTICES  AND  NEWS. 

volume  by  Professor  Comparetti.  That  volume  supplied  the  best 
textual  study,  and  we  may  say  that  Mr.  Clouston's  volume  may  be  con- 
sidered almost  as  its  companion,  supplying,  as  it  does,  the  best  com- 
parative study.  With  these  two  volumes  before  liim  the  student  has 
everything  at  hand  for  his  use.  Mr.  Clouston  is  well  known  as  an 
authority  on  Eastern  literature,  and  his  learned  introduction  to  this 
book  is  of  the  greatest  interest.  The  "  Book  of  Sindibad  "  is  first 
given,  then  follows  ''the  Seven  Vazirs  "  with  an  appendix  of  stories, 
"the  Seven  Wise  Masters,"  and  " Dolopathos."  These  collections, 
together  with  notes  and  index,  make  a  volume  worthy  of  the  attention 
of  all  folk-lorists.  Mr.  Clouston  supplies  in  his  notes  illustrations  of 
most  of  the  curious  customs  referred  to  in  the  texts  of  the  stories,  and 
he  gives  very  ample  reference  to  parallel  stories  to  be  found  elsewhere, 
besides  which  there  is  valuable  bibliographical  information  of  the 
several  editions  of  the  works,  and  minute  information  as  to  where  the 
rarest  of  these  editions  are  to  be  found.  It  certainly  is  a  remarkable 
fact  in  the  history  of  fiction  that  this  collection  of  stories  should  have 
had  such  a  long  and  wide-spread  popularity,  descending  ultimately  in 
England  into  the  penny  chap-books  which  to  our  poorer  classes 
answer  for  literature;  and  it  presents  us  with  a  most  remarkable 
instance  of  the  literary  migration  of  stories,  a  subject  upon  which  Mr. 
Clouston  has  perhaps  expended  more  study  than  any  other  student  of 
folk-lore.  Before  concluding  we  cannot  help  adding  one  word  of 
thanks  for  the  handsome  manner  in  which  Mr.  Clouston  has  got  up 
his  volume,  and  we  trust  that  members  of  the  Society  will  aid  Mr. 
Clouston's  labours  by  their  support. 

Herr  Otto  Harrassowitz,  of  Leipzig,  has  just  issued  a  catalogue  of 
books  on  the  History  of  Civilization,  containing  a  number  of  valuable 
works  on  the  Culture,  Folk-lore,  Customs,  and  Traditions  of  Greece 
and  Rome,  the  Hindus  and  other  Oriental  Peoples,  with  books  on 
Teutonic,  Scandinavian,  and  Medieval  Mythology  and  Folk-lore. 
Copies  of  the  catalogue  may  be  obtained  on  application  from  Messrs. 
Farrar  and  Fenton,  8,  John  Street,  Adelphi,  London,  W.C. 


FISHERMEN'S  FOLK-LORE. 


1. — Some  Marriage  Customs  of  the  Fiseer-folk  of  Kosehearty, 
PiTSLiGO,  Aberdeenshire. 

NE  part  of  a  bride's  "plinisan"  is  a  trunk,  "  the  kist." 
When  her  property  is  to  be  taken  to  her  future  home 
this  trunk  is  the  first  article  taken  from  her  father's 
house,  and  it  is  often  sent  unlocked.  If  it  is  locked  it 
must  be  locked  after  being  taken  outside.  The  usual  way  of 
removing  it  is  to  carry  it  out,  and,  without  letting  it  touch  the 
ground,  place  it  in  the  cart  that  is  to  convey  it  to  the  bride's  own 
house,  and  then  lock  it,  if  it  is  to  be  locked.  This  custom  of  not 
locking  inside  the  house  a  trunk  that  is  to  be  taken  away  is  carried 
out  in  the  case  of  those  who  are  leaving  home  to  prosecute  the  fishing 
at  other  fishing  stations.  The  trunks  of  the  men  and  women  are 
packed  inside,  then  carried  out,  and  locked. 

The  bride  should  not  bake  the  bridal  bread — the  oatmeal  cakes, 
neither  ought  she  to  do  any  errands,  i,  e.  do  any  kind  of  shopping  or 
go  messages  of  any  sort. 

When  the  bride  is  dressed  for  the  marriage  she  used  to  set  out,  and 
wait  upon  those  whom  she  had  called  to  the  marriage,  and  tell  them 
to  make  ready.  In  doing  so  she  must  on  no  account  hold  her  dress 
in  her  hand,  and,  however  wet  the  weather,  she  must  not  tuck  it  up. 

J K 's  marriage-day  was  a  day  of  rain.    Before  setting  out  to 

give  her  friends  their  call  to  the  marriage,  she  tucked  up  her  dress. 

She   entered  the  house  of  Widow    R .      The  good  widow  was 

amazed,  at  once  took  the  bride  outside,  unloosed  the  tucking-up  of 
her  dress  and  let  it  fall. 

Vol.  2.— Part  12.  2  a 


354  fishermen's  folk-lore. 

When  the  bride  set  out  to  meet  the  bridegroom  at  the  hall,  or 
house,  or  church,  in  which  the  ceremony  was  to  take  place,  great 
attention  was,  and  still  is,  paid  to  the  "  first  fit."  A  horse  is  looked 
upon  as  particularly  lucky,  hence  the  saying,  "  a  hairy  fit's  a  happy 
fit."  The  man  or  woman  the  bride  first  met  had  to  give  her  a  silver 
coin,  and  she  made  the  person  turn,  and  walk  a  short  distance  with 
her. 

The  bridal-dress  must  on  no  account  be  changed  between  the  time 
of  marriage  and  the  time  for  retiring  to  bed. 

The  bridal-bed  was,  and  is,  usually  made  up  by  a  woman  "  having 
milk  in  her  breasts,"  helped  by  one  that  is  looked  upon  as  having  a 
"  guid  fit "  or  "  a  lucky  lian'."     The  custom  varies. 

It  is  regarded  as  very  unlucky  if  there  is  a  burial  in  the  village  on 
the  day  of  a  marriage. 

Sometimes  the  white  bridal-petticoat  was  made  into  a  dress  for  the 
first-born  child.  The  bridal  chemise  and  stockings  were  laid  up  to 
be  put  on  at  death. 

The  first  clothes  of  the  first-born  were  all  given  away  to  the  nearest 
of  kin  for  her  first-born,  beginning  with  a  sister  if  she  required  them. 
So  the  clothes  went  from  one  to  another,  till  they  were  worn  out. 

The  mother  had  to  go  to  church  before  she  entered  a  neighbour's 
house. 

I  have  been  told  by  one  that  she  has  seen  a  mother,  who  went  into 
a  neighbour's  house  before  going  to  church,  put  out. 

Something  borrowed  must  be  put  on  the  child  at  the  time  of 
baptism,  often  a  shawl  to  roll  the  infant  in.  My  informant  says  that 
she  has  given  the  loan  of  a  shawl  in  accordance  with  this  "  fret." 
The  baptismal  dress  of  the  first-born  was  kept  for  the  eldest  daughter's 
first-born. 


2. — The  Sba  in  its  Health-qiving  Vihtubs. 

The  sea  is  thought  to  have  great  health-giving  powers,  both  in  its 
air  and  waters.  It  is  supposed  to  be  most  efficacious  in  cases  of 
general  debility,  indigestion,  weakness  of  the  spine  and  limbs,  inflam- 


fishermen's  folk-lore.  355 

mation  of  the  joints,  contraction  of  the  sinews,  and  rheumatism. 
Many  from  the  inland,  visit  during  the  summer  months  certain  of  the 
sea-coast  villages,  some  merely  to  breathe  the  air,  others  to  enjoy 
bathing  as  well  as  to  breathe  the  air.  The  air  is  believed  to  have  most 
effect  when  the  stomach  is  empty  in  the  morning,  and  the  health- 
seekers  are  early  astir,  and  along  the  shore  "  to  snuff  the  caller  air."  * 

It  was  quite  common,  not  many  years  ago,  to  use  the  water  as  a 
purgative.  When  the  water  was  to  be  put  to  this  purpose,  it  had  to 
be  drunk  in  the  morning  before  taking  any  food.  As  large  a  draught 
as  possible  was  drunk.  This  was  followed  by  another  of  chalybeate 
water,  if  a  spring  of  such  was  at  hand,  and,  if  such  was  not  to  be  had, 
by  one  of  spring  water.  A  little  "  dulse  "  {^Rhodymenia  palmata)  was 
eaten,  and  a  walk  taken.  The  effect  was  quick  and  wonderful,  as  those 
who  have  undergone  the  ordeal  have  assured  me. 

Bathing  is  most  commonly  done  when  the  tide  is  "  flouin'  "  (rising), 
from  the  belief  that  the  water  is  strongest  and  has  most  effect  at 
that  time.  Bathing,  when  the  tide  is  at  its  lowest,  or  even  when 
ebbing,  is  believed  by  some  to  be  injurious  to  health,  and  a  mother  of  a 
large  family  now  well-stricken  in  years  in  Rosehearty  told  me  that  she 
laid  strict  orders  on  her  boys  never  to  bathe  except  in  a  "  flouin* " 
tide.f  It  was  thought  to  be  safer  to  take  the  water  head  first  with  a 
dive,  when  the  depth  of  water  allowed,  than  to  walk  slowly  into  the 
water,  as  such  an  act  caused  the  blood  to  flow  too  quickly  to  the  head. 
If  one  had  not  the  courage  to  dive,  or  if  the  water  was  too  shallow  for 
that  purpose,  it  was  considered  wise  to  drench  the  head — at  least  to 
lave  the  forehead — before  entering  the  water.  When  the  bather  left 
the  water,  he  ran  a  distance  along  the  beach,  if  the  nature  of  it 
allowed  him.  Bathers  often  carried  along  with  them  a  piece  of  oaten- 
cakes — "  the  chatterin  piece,"  "  the  shiverin  piece  " — which  they  ate 
during  the  time  they  were  dressing.  The  early  part  of  the  day  was 
regarded  as  the  best  time  for  bathing;  and  to  bathe  with  a  full 
stomach,  or  in  a  state  of  perspiration,  was  looked  on  as  full  of 
danger  to  health. 

*  Paul  Sebillot,  VEau  dc  Mcr  dans  les  SujJerstitions  et  les  Croyances 
po]}ulaires,  p.  6.     ("L'Homme,"  1884,  No.  13,  10  Juillet.) 

f  In  Basse  Bretagne  the  contrary  opinion  prevails.     Ibid.  p.  6. 

2  a2 


356  fishermen's  folk-lore. 

With  some  (Macduff,  Kosehearty),  at  least  not  many  years  ago,  it 
was  a  custom  to  throw  into  the  water  before  entering  it  three  stones 
of  diflferent  sizes,  beginning  with  the  largest.  White  stones,  if  they 
could  be  found,  were  preferred  (Rosehearty).  Others  again  threw 
in  a  few  without  regard  to  number.  Words  were  repeated,  as  the 
stones  were  being  pitched  in,  but  my  informants  (Macduflf,  Kosebearty) 
could  not  recall  them.* 

Bathing  in  the  sea  is  believed  to  be  much  more  wholesome  than  in 
fresh  water.  Frequent  bathing  in  fresh  water,  especially  if  done 
oftener  than  once  a  day,  is  looked  upon  as  injurious  to  health. 

8ea-water  is  much  used  as  a  lotion  in  cases  of  local  inflammation, 
weakness  or  stiffness  of  a  joint,  and  spine  disease.  The  water  must  be 
drawn  when  the  tide  is  "  flouin,"  otherwise  it  is  useless.  If  it  is  drawn 
during  the  waxing  moon,  so  much  the  more  powerful  are  its  virtues. 
It  is  warmed,  and  the  affected  part  is  rubbed  downwards  as  strongly 
as  the  patient  is  able  to  bear,  generally  in  the  morning  and  evening. 

By  some  the  same  water  is  used  again  and  again,  from  the  belief 
that  the  oftener  it  is  used  the  stronger  grow  its  curative  powers. 

This  health-giving  power  of  the  rising  tide  is  not  confined  to 
human  beings.  Lugworms  (^Arenicola  jnscatoi'um,  Lamk.)  are  much 
used  as  bait  for  fish.  When  they  are  not  wanted  immediately  they 
must  be  kept  alive.  It  is  believed  that  this  can  be  done  only  by 
keeping  them  among  water  drawn  when  the  tide  is  rising.  If  the 
water  is  changed  daily  they  may  be  preserved  alive  for  eight  days  or 
more,  whereas,  if  they  are  put  into  water  taken  from  an  ebbing  or 
"  back-gain "  tide,  they  die  within  a  short  time. — (Told  by  two 
fishermen  of  Rosehearty.) 

A  sea-voyage  is  supposed  to  bring  about  a  cure  of  any  lingering 
disease,  such  as  that  arising  from  indigestion  or  the  liver.  Or  if  a 
voyage  cannot  be  taken,  a  sail  for  a  day  or  a  few  hours  with  a  "  guid 
twist  o'  sea-sickness  and  a  guid  clean-oot "  works  wonders.  Sea- 
sickness is  commonly  believed  to  be  healthful. 

It  is  a  common  idea  that  a  drenching  with  sea-water  is  followed 
by  no  such  evil  consequences  as  arise  from  a  drenching  with  fresh 

•  J.  Leite  de  Vasconcellos,  Tradicoet  jwjttdares  dr  Portugal,  i^^.  69,  70. 


THE  FOLK-LOUE  OF  DRAYTON.  357 

water ;  and  one  is  always  told  that  were  the  effects  in  the  one  case 
as  dangerous  as  in  the  other,  fishermen  and  sailors  could  not  live.* 

Such  are,  or  have  been,  some  of  the  beliefs  about  the  sea  among  the 
folk  of  the  north-east  of  Scotland  with  respect  to  its  health-giving 
powers.  Walter  Gregor. 


THE  FOLK-LOEE  OF  DRAYTON. 

PART  III. — Witchcraft  and   other   things   preternatural- 
Astrology,  &c. 
{Continued  from  page  277.) 

I  OR  poetical  purposes,  at  any  rate,  Drayton  was  true  to 
the  belief  of  his  age,  touching  witchcraft,  astrology,  and 
other  allied  arts.  It  is  observable  that  in  his  Elegy  \ 
on  Lady  Aston's  departure  for  Spain,  he  ventures  to 
rate  the  power  of  his  own  desire — psychic  force,  the  spiritualists 
call  it — respecting  her  good  passage,  as  being  equal  in  potency 
to  the  spells  of  Norwegian  witches,  who  can  sell  winds  that  will 
steadily  waft  their  sea-faring  clients  to  a  wished-for  harbour.  It 
may  be,  however,  that  this  was  but  a  temporary  boldness,  induced  by 
hyperbole.  Seldenf  claims  the  same  faculty  for  some  "nuns "(as 
Drayton  §  terms  them)  who,  of  yore,  dwelt  in  the  Seams, 

"  Gave  answers  from  their  caves  and  took  what  shapes  they  please ;" 
and  he  refers  to  the  wind-directing  skill  of  Lapp  and  Finland  witches 
in  later  times.     "  Mother  Bumby,"  in  her  contribution  to  the  fire-side 
tales  told  in  the  Mooncalf,  ||  enters  into  considerable  detail  as  to  the 
powers  exercised  by  such  weird  women  — 

♦  Paul  Sebillot,  L'Eau  de  Mer  dans  les  Stqjerstitions  et  les  Croyanccs 
populaires,  pp.  5,  6. 

t   [iv.  1251.]     An  island  off  the  coast  of  Brittany. 

%  [ii.  673.]  §  Pol.  i.  [ii.  657]. 

II  [ii.  499.]  Who  was  the  original  Mother  Bamby  ?  Gerarde,  writing  years 
before  the  Mooncalf  appeared,  says,  sub  Varvain,  "  It  is  repoi'tcd  to  be  of 
singular  force  against  the  tertian  and  quartaine  fevers;  but  you  must  observe 
Mother  Bumble's  rules  to  take  just  so  many  knots  or  sprigs,  no  more,  least  it 


358  THE  FOLK-LORE  OF  DRAYTON. 

"  Out  in  the  north  tow'rds  Greenland  far  away, 
There  was  a  witch  (as  ancient  stories  say) 
As  in  those  parts  there  many  witches  be; 
Yet  in  her  craft  above  all  others  she 
Was  most  expert,  dwelling  in  an  isle 
Which  was  in  compass  scarce  an  English  mile ; 
Which  by  her  cunning  she  could  make  to  float  * 
Whither  she  list  as  though  it  were  a  boat; 
And  where  again  she  meant  to  have  it  stay, 
There  could  she  fix  it  in  the  deepest  sea. 
She  could  sell  winds  to  any  one  that  would 
Buy  them  for  money,  forcing  them  to  hold 
What  time  she  listed,  tie  them  in  a  thread, 
Which  ever  as  the  seafarer  undid. 
They  rose  or  scantled,  as  his  sails  would  drive, 
To  the  same  port  whereas  [at?]  he  would  arrive. 
She  by  her  spells  could  make  the  moon  to  stay,t 
And  from  the  east  she  could  keep  back  the  day. 
Raise  mists  and  fogs  that  could  eclipse  the  night. 
And  with  the  noonsted  she  could  mix  the  night." 

Even  in  these  days  of  scientific  meteorology  there  are  spots  where 
such  heterodoxy  still  lingers.  **  I  did  hear  of  a  witch  in  the  Lewes 
fifteen  years  agone,"  said  an  old  gillie  to  the  author  of  "  In  Assynt," 
a  paper  published  in  the  Comhill  Magazine,  July,  1879.  "  She  lived 
at  Stornaway,  and  did  sell  winds  to  sailors.  One  of  our  Loch  Inver 
boats  did  not  get  away  that  autumn  for  weeks.  The  wind  was  always 
dead  against  them.  Well,  they  did  go  to  her,  and  what  they  paid  her 
I  did  not  hear,  but  she  gave  them  a  black  string  tied  with  three  knots, 
and  said,  *  Ye'll  be  getting  aw  a'  to-morrow.  Now,  if  the  wind  is  not 
strong  enough  loose  one  knot,  if  even  then  it  is  not  enougli  loose  the 
second,  but  on  your  life !  on  your  life  !  dinna  loose  the  third.'     Well, 

fall  out  80  that  it  do  you  no  good,  if  you  catch  no  harm  by  it."  I  suppose  the 
name  is  used  as  a  by-word  for  a  credulous  "  old  woman,"  masculine  or  feminine. 
Lyly  had  a  play.  Mother  Bombie,  in  which,  as  I  am  told,  the  heroine, "  the 
cunning  woman  of  Rochester,"  was  more  knave  than  fool.  Perhaps  she  was  the 
original  Mother  Bumby. 

*  Drayton  believed  the  assertion  of  Giraldus,  cited  by  Camden  {Brit.  vol.  ii. 
p.  795),  that  on  the  summits  of  the  Snowdon  range  are  two  lakes,  on  one 
of  which  floats,  Delos-like,  an  island,  whilst  the  other  abounds  in  one-eyed  fish, 
eels,  trout,  and  perch  (Pol.  ix.  [iii.  830,  note,  840]  ).  Marshland  also  is  said  to 
float,  and  to  rise  and  fall  with  the  floods  of  the  Don,  &c.  {Pol.  xxviii.  [iii.  1193]). 

t  Like  tales  were  told  of  the  Druids;  scejwst. 


THE  FOLK-LORE  OF  DRAYTON.  359 

they  got  ofif  sure  enough  next  morning  with  a  fair  breeze,  and  then 
the  skipper  loosed  one  knot.  On  the  boat  sprang  and  the  wind  rose. 
Soon  he  loosed  the  second,  and  they  tore  over  the  waves,  and  were 
very  soon  over  the  Murch  near  Loch  Inver.  They  got  to  the  entrance 
of  the  harbour  near  the  new  stone  house — ye  ken  it  ? — on  the  right, 
and  the  skipper  says,  *  We're  a'richt  now  ;  if  the  deil  himself  with- 
stands me  I  will  loose  the  third  ! '  He  did  loose  it,  and,  though  so 
near  home,  the  boat  only  got  ashore  in  little  bits.  She  was  altogether 
broken  up.     The  men  were  all  saved." 

Some  of  the  minor  arts  wherein  fully  accomplished  witches  were 
expected  to  be  proficient  are  enumerated  in  Elenor  Cobham's  furious 
tirade  *  against  Margaret  of  Anjou,  who  had  called  her  "  Beldam, 
Gib,  Witch,  Nightmare,  Trot,-'  in  the  belief  that  she  (at  one  time  a 
dabbler  in  magic)  had  worked  evil  spells  against  Henry  VI.,  who 
"  in  his  cradle,"  according  to  popular  opinion,  "had  the  curse,  that 
where  he  was  that  side  had  still  the  worse."  j-  The  "  soft  impeach- 
ment "  of  being  a  witch  was,  as  we  know,  by  no  means  rare.  Piers 
Gaveston  is  made  to  complain  that  his  mother  was  termed  a  witch, 
and  condemned  to  suffer  as  one,  merely  because  he  was  thought  to 
have  gained  royal  favour  by  inherited  arts  of  sorcery.  |  Elenor 
Cobham  was  suspected  of  being  in  league  with  Margery  Jordan,  the 
Witch  of  Eye  §  and  others,  to  melt  a  waxen  image  of  the  king  with 
the  view  of  ensuring  the  sympathetic  dissolution  of  the  unlucky 
monarch  in  proprid  persona.  She  was  also  accused  of  being  privy  to 
the  awful  profanity  of  a  Mass  offered  by  a  priest  named  Hun  for  the 

*  Eng.  Heroic  Epis.  [i.  300]. 

f  Miseries  of  Qnsen  Margaret  [ii.  433].    See  also  Ihid.  [ii.  422].    At  St. 
Albans — 

"  Some  think  that  Warwick  had  not  lost  the  day, 
But  that  the  king  unto  the  field  he  brought; 
For  with  the  worse  that  side  went  still  away, 

Which  had  King  Henry  with  them  when  they  fought. 
Upon  his  birth  so  sad  a  curse  they  lay 
As  that  he  never  prospered  in  aught. 
The  queen  wan  two  amongst  the  loss  of  many, 
Her  husband  absent ;  present  never  any." 
\  Legend  of  Pierce  Gaveston  [n.  Z^ii']. 
§  Eng.  Heroic.  Epis.  [i.  306]. 


360  THE  FOLK-LORE  OF  DRAYTON. 

"  intention"*  of  hallowing  the  magical  instruments  employed  by  Roger 
Bullenbrook,  sorcerer,  to  forward  this  and  the  like  diabolical  devices. 
"  0,  that  I  were  a  witch  but  for  her  sake,"  raves  Elenor. 

"  I'faith  her  queenship  little  rest  should  take  : 
I'd  scratch  that  face  that  may  not  feel  the  air, 
And  knit  whole  ropes  of  witch-knots  in  her  hair: 
O,  I  would  hag  her  nightly  in  her  hed. 
And  like  a  fairy  pinch  that  dainty  skin 
Her  wanton  blood  is  now  so  cocker'd  in ; 
Or  take  me  some  such  known  familiar  shape 
As  she  my  vengeance  never  should  escape." 

That  not  being  sufficient  she  goes  on  to  wish  that  she  knew  the 
spells  of  the  Druids  by  which  they  raised  or  calmed  the  sea  and 
wind  — 

"  made  the  moon  pause  in  her  paled  sphere  ; 
and  envied 

"  Their  hellish  power  to  kill  the  ploughman's  seed, 
Or  to  forespeak  whole  flocks  as  they  did  feed; 
To  nurse  a  damned  spirit  with  human  blood, 
To  carry  them  through  earth,  air,  fire,  and  flood  I 
Had  I  this  skill  that  time  hath  almost  lost, 
How  like  a  goblin  I  would  haunt  her  ghost." 

"When  Venus  of  the  Muses  Elysiv.m'\  disguised  herself  as  an  old 
witch,  she  was  a  witch  of  milder  type  than  those  of  literature  are  wont 
to  be — in  short,  quite  a  domestic  variety.  She  gave  out  that  she  had 
skill  in  telling  fortunes  : 

"  And  that  more  neatly  she  might  with  them  close, 

She  cut  the  corns  of  dainty  ladies  toes. 

She  gave  them  physick  either  to  cool  or  move  them. 

And  powders  too,  to  make  their  sweethearts  love  them. 

And  her  son  Cupid  as  her  zany  went 

Carrying  her  boxes." 

The  preparation  of  philtres  and  potions  was  indeed  a  very  im- 
portant item  in  witchcraft.  Misrepresented  Elenor  Cobham,  who, 
although  she  resented  the  name  of  witch,  had,  as  I  have  already  said, 
a  hankering  after  curious  arts,  felt  it  incumbent  on  her  {crede  Drayton) 
to  assure  Duke  Humphrey  her  husband  that,  although  she  won  him, 
she  won  him  not  as  many  thought, 

•  Ihiff.  Heroic.  Epis.  [i.  302].  f  Nymphal,  vii.  [iv.  1499,  1600]. 


THE  FOLK-LORE  OF  DRAYTON.  361 

"  With  pois'ning  philtres  and  bewitching  drink, 
Nor  on  thy  person  did  I  ever  prove 
Those  wicked  potions  so  procuring  love."* 

Our  poet  who  died  a  bachelor,  and  who,  it  must  be  confessed,  is 
sometimes  tedious  and  somniferous,  is  rather  reticent  as  regards  the 
composition  of  love- compelling  draughts,  though  sufficiently  com- 
municative as  regards  a  sleepy  drench.  The  fleshy  mandrake,!  grown 
in  the  shade  of  the  mystic  mistletoe,  and  only  to  be  uprooted  with  the 
certainty  of  the  act  producing  weird  vegetable  groans, |  was  par 
excellence  the  love-compelling  agent.  Mandrake  was  also  used  for 
sleeping-draughts,  and  so  were  henbane,  poppy,  hemlock, §  and  other 
plants  still  honoured  by  the  pharmacopoeia.  When  Queen  Isabella 
wished  to  procure  the  escape  of  Mortimer  from  the  Tower  this  is  the 
conglomeration  she  stewed  over  a  vestal  fire  to  make  a  "  night-cap  " 
for  the  warders :  || 

"  She  plantane  and  cold  lettuce  had, 

The  water-lilly  from  the  marish  ground, 
With  the  wan  poppy,  and  the  nightshade  sad, 

And  the  short  moss  that  on  the  trees  is  found, 
The  pois'ning  henbane,  and  the  mandrake  drad, 

With  cypress  flowers  that  with  the  rest  were  poun'd  ; 
The  brain  of  cranes  amongst  the  rest  she  takes, 
Mix'd  with  the  blood  of  dormice  and  of  snakes." 

And,  according  to  Heroical  Epistles,^  that  mess  seemed  to  her  to 
lack  perfection  from  the  absence  of  many  strange  ingredients  which 
this  moist  and  foggy  clime  denied. 

It  is  hard  to  tell  whether  Drayton  really  believed  in  "the  spirits 
who  haunt  the  mines,"**  and  in  those  underground  gnomes  who,  as  he 
tells  us  in  his  58th  Sonnet,'\^  were  formerly  made  guardians  of  treasure 
by  those  who  went  off  to  the  wars,  leaving  behind  them  no  better  friends 
to  confide  in.     Many  a  man,  alas  !  never  returned  to  claim  his  hoard, 

*  Eng.  Heroic.  Ejns.  [i.  298] .    She  was  also  accused  of  contriving  his  death 
[i.  313]. 
t  Mandragora  officinalis.    Nym/pTialy  iii.  [iv.  1467]. 
X  Eng.  Heroic  Epis.  [i.  368].    NympMdia  [ii.  464]. 
§  Nymphal,  v.  [iv.  1489]. 
II  The  Barons'  Wars^  book  iii.  v.  7  [i.  128]. 
1  [i.  243.]  *•  Po^.xxvi.  [iii.  1176]. 

tt  [iv.  1282.] 


362  THE  FOLK-LORE  OF  DRAYTON. 

and  the  faithful  spirits  remain  true  to  their  trust,  moving  further  and 
further  away  as  covetous  folk  draw  nearer  and  nearer  to  their  charge. 
The  miner  spirits  seem  to  work,  yet  all  their  work  produces  no  result. 
There  is  a  very  curious  representation  of  these  busy  gentry  in  a  com- 
partment of  the  frontispiece  to  the  third  impression  (1688)  of  the 
Golden  Remains  of  the  Ever  Memorable  Mr,  John  Hales,  who  was  a 
contemporary  of  Drayton's.  Twelve  spirits,  overlooked  by  a  winged 
creature — possibly  draconian,  but  with  no  tail  to  swear  by — are 
working  diligently  underground.  The  moral  they  are  to  suggest  we 
may  as  well  hear  from  the  "  Ever  Memorable"  himself.  *  "  G. 
Agricola,  writing  de  Animanitihus  suhterraneis,  reports  of  a  certain 
kind  of  Spirits  that  converse  in  Minerals,  and  so  much  interest  those 
that  work  in  them  ;  and  the  manner  of  them  when  they  come  is,  to 
seem  to  busie  themselves  according  to  all  the  custom  of  Workmen  ; 
they  will  dig  and  cleanse  and  melt  and  sever  Metals  ;  yet  when  they 
are  gone  the  workmen  do  not  find  that  there  is  anything  done.  So 
fares  it  with  a  great  part  of  the  multitude,  who  thrust  themselves 
into  the  Controversies  of  the  Times  ;  they  write  books,  move  ques- 
tions, frame  distinctions,  give  solutions,  and  seem  sedulously  to  do 
whatsoever  the  nature  of  the  business  requires  ;  yet  if  any  skilful 
workmen  in  the  Lord's  mines  shall  come  and  examine  their  work  he 
shall  find  them  to  be  but  Spirits  in  the  Minerals,  and  that  with  all 
this  labour  and  stir  there  is  nothing  done." 

The  theory  connected  with  Incubus  made  too  groat  demands  on 
Drayton's  credulity,  as  he  takes  occasion  to  inform  us  when  speaking 
of  the  parentage  of  Merlin,t  and  he  should  not  be  accused  of  incon- 
sistency in  that  he  makes  Incubus  responsible  for  that  very  unpleasant 
conception,  the  Mooncalf. ^  I  think,  too,  that  the  existence  of  were- 
wolves was  not  an  article  of  faith  with  him ;  but  however  that  might 
be,  English  folk-lore  is  particularly  indebted  to  him  for  the  tale  he 
puts  into  the  mouth  of  Mother  Owl,  §  as  it  is  "  singularly  barren,"  as 
Baring -Gould  says,  of  such  stories,  "  the  reason  being  that  wolves 
had  been  extirpated  from  England  under  the  Anglo-Saxon  kings, 

*  Page  45.  t  ^ol  v.  [ii.  757]. 

X  [it.  479,]  §  Mooncalf  [ii.  504,  &c.] 


THE  FOLK-LORE  OF  DRAYTON.  363 

and  therefore  ceased  to  be  objects  of  dread  to  the  people."*  That 
wolves  were  not  unknown  animals  in  this  country  centuries  after  any- 
body can  have  had  the  faintest  claim  to  be  called  Anglo-Saxon  is 
now  admitted  ;  f  it  was  in  Wales  that  the  tribute  of  their  heads  came 
to  an  end  through  the  lack  of  supply ;  but,  bo  that  as  it  may, 
I  am  not  concerned  to  deny  that  stories  of  were-wolves  are  rare  in 
England  proper.  The  shepherds  in  the  Man  in  the  Moon^  thought  it 
was  expedient  to  "go  about  the  field  religiously," 

"  With  hollowing  charins  the  Warwolf  thence  to  fray 
That  them  and  theirs  awaited  to  betray." 

Had  their  opinion  as  to  the  etymology  of  the  name  been  asked,  it 
is  probable  that  they  would  have  gladly  hailed  the  guess  that  "  ware- 
wolves"  are  "  wolves  of  which  we  ought  to  be  aware,"§  but  we  are 
bound  to  accept  the  more  learned  notion  that  wer  or  were  is  equivalent 
to  the  Gothic  vair  and  the  Latin  vii\  and  that  a  wer-wolf  is  in  word, 
as  well  as  in  deed,  a  man- wolf ;  unless  we  should  venture  to  hold  with 
Mr.  Baring-Gould  ||  that  were  is  the  Norse  vargr,  a  wolf,  a  godless 
man,  and,  in  a  cognate  language,  a  fiend.  If  I  read  mine  author 
rightly,  he  believes  that  were-wolf  =  demon-wolf. 

Here  is  the  sum  of  the  tale  that  Mother  Owl  or  Howlet  told  to  her 
gossips.  Gammers  Bumby,  Eedcap,  and  Gurton.  There  was  a  man 
living  but  a  short  time  before,  she  said,  who  had  studied  witchcraft 
and  black  sorcery,  and  who  had  learnt  from  the  beldames  at  whose  feet 
he  sat  that  a  particular  herb,  which  opened  at  sunset  and  closed  at 
sunrise,  %  would,  if  gathered  at  a  certain  hour  and  taken  with  the 
accompaniment  of  a  thrice-repeated  spell,  instantly  change  him  into 

*  TJte  Book  of  Were.  Wolves,  p.  100. 

t  "  Edward  I.  issued  his  mandate  for  the  destruction  of  wolves  in  several 
counties  of  England  A.D.  1289."  —  See  Haydn's  Dictionary  of  Dates,  suh 
«  Wolves." 

X  [iv.  1325.J 

§  Butfon's  Natural  History  Abridged  (Berwick,  n.d.),  vol.  i.  p.  139.  It  is 
only  fair  to  say  that  no  uncanny  origin  is  attributed  to  these  ware-wolves.  They 
are  mentioned  merely  as  wolves  that  have  learned  to  like  human  flesh, are  "man- 
eaters,"  as  we  should  say  of  tigers. 

II  BooJi  of  Were-  Wolves,  p.  48.  ^  See  Part  11.  of  this  paper. 


364  THE  FOLK-LORE  OP  DRAYTON. 

a  **  war-wolf."  *  He  tried  the  experiment  with  success,  much  to  his 
own  delight.  He  fed  on  the  daintiest  human  morsels ;  the  fattest 
sheep,  the  tenderest  lambs,  the  most  succulent  of  pigs,  were  his  by 
"  hook  or  crook."  So  light  and  active  was  he  that  he  distanced  all 
pursuit,  and  the  whole  country-side  went  in  dread  of  him.  One  day 
came  by  a  silly  ass,  who,  in  an  earlier  state  of  existence,  had  been  "  a 
very  perfect  man  in  shape  and  skin."  Witchcraft  had  wrought  upon 
his  externals,  without  diminishing  the  reason  he  had  possessed  as  a 
biped.  Him,  the  werwolf  captured,  and  tugged  towards  its  den,  but, 
being  just  then  without  an  appetite,  the  monster  secured  its  prey  in 
a  natural  meat-safe,  a  brake  of  briers  and  thorns,  in  which  the  poor 
brute's  mane  and  tail  soon  became  most  satisfactorily  tangled.  Happily 
for  him,  at  this  juncture  a  bevy  of  men  and  women  and  "  curs  of 
various  degree  " — "  Ball,  Eatall,  Cuttail,  Blackfoot,"  and  many  more 
unnamed — came  out  with  bills,  bats,  clubs,  spits,  fireforks,  and  much 
noise,  to  hunt  for  the  terrible  warwolf.  He  knowing  what  was  happen- 
ing, and  "  thinking  this  ass  did  nothing  understand,"  went  down 
into  a  spring  hard  by,  and  emerged  therefrom  in  human  form.  He 
hid  himself  until  part  of  the  rabble  had  passed,  and  then  contrived  to 
join  the  crowd,  assuming  to  be  as  anxious  as  anybody  to  find  the 
enemy.  The  only  game  of  moment  that  was  discovered  was  the  ass 
entangled  in  the  briers,  and  entangled  in  so  curious  a  manner  that 
every  one  wondered  how  he  came  into  such  a  plight.  He  could  not 
speak,  he  could  only  kneel,  cry,  make  inarticulate  sounds  and  so  forth 
to  excite  pity  ;  and  some  of  the  spectators  jumped  to  the  conclusion 
that  the  animal  had  feeling  and  was  longing  to  be  set  free.  The 
first  use  he  made  of  the  liberty  they  gave  him  was  to  seek  amongst 
the  folk  about  him  for  the  man  who  had  been  wolf,  to  fix  his  teeth  in 
him  when  found,  and  to  drag  him  to  the  magic  spring.  Then  he  pointed 
with  his  foot  to  it,  and  "  with  an  ass-like  noise"  attempted  to  toll  his 

*  The  name  of  this  simple  is  not  given.  Baring-Gould  says  the  magical  salves 
usually  employed  for  the  same  purpose  were  made  of  "  Solanum  somnifrrv7?i, 
aconite,  hyoscyamus,  belladonna,  opium,  Acorvs  rvlgarisy  sittm.  These  were 
boiled  down  with  oil  and  the  fat  of  little  children  who  were  murdered  for  the 
purpose.  The  blood  of  a  bat  was  added,  but  its  eflfects  could  have  been  nil.  To 
these  may  have  been  added  other  foreign  narcotics,  the  names  of  which  have 
not  transpired." — Book  of  Wcre-Wolves,  pp.  149-150. 


THE  FOLK-LORE  OF  DRAYTON.  365 

story.  This  the  listeners  were  slow  to  take  in,  and  he,  vexed  at  not  being 
understood,  jumped  into  the  water,  when  wonderful  to  relate  he  became 
once  more  man,  and  could  step  forth  and  use  his  power  of  speech  to 
reveal  the  truth  about  the  warwolf.  The  erewhile  ass  was  instantly  a 
popular  hero,  the  monster  was  dragged  about  on  the  ground  by  the 
indignant  multitude,  and  "  from  his  bones  the  flesh  in  collops  cut." 

"  The  subsequent  proceedings  interested  him  no  more," 

but  I  may  mention  that  the  collops  were  carried  in  triumph  on  the 
points  of  the  weapons,  and  that  amidst  a  song  of  victory  the  ass -man 
was  borne  aloft. 

Gammer  Gurton  *  said  she  would  moral  the  story,  and  so  she  did. 
The  "  war-wolf "  was  a  cruel,  blood-thirsty  man  ;  the  spring,  the 
manner  in  which  such  an  one  would  contrive  to  evade  the  ill-repute 
attaching  to  his  deeds  ;  the  ass,  some  poor  despised  soul  who  by  the 
will  of  God  brings  all  the  evil  practices  to  light. 

"  Quoth  Mother  Howlet,  *  You  have  hit  the  white ' ;  " 

indeed  no  Max  Miiller  or  Cox  could  explain  away  a  tale  of  horror 
better.  This  is  the  more  to  the  Gammer's  credit,  seeing  that  at  the 
latter  end  of  the  sixteenth  century  lycanthropy,  or  what  was  called  so, 
was  especially  rife  in  France,  and  there  must  have  been  much  talk 
concerning  the  trials  of  the  beings  who  were  suspected  of  it.  Drayton 
was,  probably,  with  those  who  held  that  the  bestial  change  of  form 
was  mere  hallucination. 

We  are  indebted  to  Mother  Bumby  f  for  a  picture  of  the  contempo- 
rary astronomer  who  was  hardly  of  the  same  pattern  as  those  of 
Greenwich.     He  was 

"  skilful  in  the  planetary  hours, 
The  working  knew  of  their  celestial  powers ; 
And  by  their  ill  or  by  their  good  aspect, 
Men  in  their  actions  wisely  could  direct; 
And  in  the  black  and  gloomy  arts  so  skill'd 
That  he  cren  Hell  in  his  subjection  held. 


♦  Was  she  first  heard  of  in  Still's  comedy  ? 
t  The  Mooncalf  [ii.  501]. 


366  THE  FOLK-LORE  OF  DRAYTON. 

He  could  command  the  spir'ts  up  from  below, 
And  bind  them  strongly  till  they  let  him  know 
All  the  dread  secrets  that  bclong'd  them  to, 
And  what  they  did  with  whom  they  had  to  do." 

Drayton  believed  that  in  the  starry  heavens — 

"  as  in  an  everlasting  book 
Our  ends  are  written  ";  * 

and  yet  he  not  unnaturally  asks, 

"  Why  his  true  motion  keepeth  every  star, 
Yet  what  they  govern  so  irregular  ? "  f 

He  makes  Queen  Isabella  tell  Mortimer  J  that  their  birth-fixed  stars 
so  luckily  agree  that  their  "  revolution  seriously  directs  our  like  pro- 
ceedings to  the  like  eflfects."  We  learn  that  at  Mortimer's  "  deliberate 
and  unusual  birth"  the  heavens  were  said  to  have  retired  in  council, 
and  to  liave  endued  him  with  a  spirit  of  insatiable  aspiration. §  Of 
the  happy  night  when  he  escaped  from  the  Tower  his  Love  declared, 

*'  Some  gentle  planet  in  that  hour  did  reign, 
And  shall  be  happy  in  the  birth  of  men 
Which  was  chief  lord  of  the  ascendant  then."  || 

It  may  be  new  to  some,  who  know  well  enough  that  "  the  stars  in 
their  courses  fought  against  Siscra,"  that  when  the  Creator  had  deter- 
mined to  destroy  the  elder  world  He  made  the  stars  His  instruments: 

"  Venus  and  Mars  God  put  this  work  upon, 
Jupiter  and  Saturn  in  conjunction, 
I  th'tail  of  Cancer,  inundations  threat, 
Luna  disposed  generally  to  wet. 
The  Hiades  and  Pleiades  put  too 
Their  helps;  Orion  doth  what  he  can  do. 
No  star  so  small,  but  some  one  drop  let  down. 
And  all  conspire  the  wicked  world  to  drown: 
On  the  wide  heaven  there  was  not  any  sign, 
To  watry  Pisces  but  it  doth  incline."  % 

♦  Eleffy  on  the  Three  Sons  of  Lord  Sheffield  drowmd  in  Humber  [iv.  1244]. 

t  The  Barons'  Wars,  book  iv.  v.  61  [i.  161].  Drayton  knew  of  the  saying 
that  the  sun  dances  on  Easter  mom,  and,  1  think,  did  not  believe  in  it. — Pol.  xxii. 
[iii.  1091]. 

I  The  Barons'  Wars,  book  iii.  v.  53  [i.  139]. 
§  Ibid,  book  i.  v.  2  [i.  94]. 

II  Eng.  Hermo.  Ejus.  [i.  243].  %  Noah's  Flood  [iv.  1541, 1512]. 


THE  FOLK-LORE  OP  DRAYTON.  367 

There  is  some  jtargon  about  the  mystery  of  numbers  in  the  Man  in  the 

Moon*     Phoebe  (moon)  says, 

*'  by  proportion  certainly  I  move, 
In  rule  of  number,  and  the  most  I  love 
That  which  you  call  full,  that  most  perfect  seven 
Of  three  and  four  made,  which  for  odd  and  even 
Are  male  and  female,  which  by  mixture  frame, 
It  most  mysterious  that  as  mine  I  claim  ;  " 

and  she  shows  how  her  phases  are  regulated  with  respect  to  this 

wondrous  numeral.    Somewhat  later  we  learn  that  Endymion  sees  how 

the  signs  in  their  triplicities  sympathise  with  the  elements  from  which 

our  bodies  take  their  "  complexions,"  natures,  and  numbers  ;  so  that 

what  men  on  earth  call  fortune  is  really  stellar  influence  for  evil  or  for 

good.     The  treble  Trine  that  makes  up  the  holy  theologic  nine — the 

nine  orders  of  angels — is  referred  to  in  the  same  poem,f  as  also  in  the 

very  curious  lines  in  which  Drayton  commended  the  Polyolbion  of 

1612  to  his  loyal  countrymen  by  praising  the  rising  hope  of  England. 

These  are  so  little  known  j:  that  I  think  I  may  give  them  at  full  length 

without  apology,  although  they  be  but  weak  in  yield  of  folk-lore. 

"  Britaine  hekold  here  portray'' d  to  thy  sight , 
Henry  thy  best  hope  and  the  7vorkVs  delight ; 
Ordained  to  make  thy  eight  great  Henries  nine, 
Who  by  that  virtue  in  the  trebble  Trine 
To  his  own  goodnesse  (in  his  Being)  brings 
Tlu'se  seuerall  Glories  of  th'' eight  English  Kings, 
^Deep  Knowledge,  '^Greatness.,  ^long  Life,  ^Policy, 
^Courage,  ^Zcale,  ''Fortune,  ^awfull  Maiestie. 
He  like  great  Neptune  on  three  Seas  shall  roue, 
And  rule  three  Realms  with  triple  power,  like  Joue. 
Thus  in  soft  Peace,  thus  in  tempestuous  Warres, 
Till  from  hisfoote  his  Fam,e  sJtall  strike  the  Starres." 

A  sublunary  mode  of  divination,  osteomancy,  which  has  already  been 
discussed  before  the  Folk-Lore  Society  by  Mr.  Tlionis,§  is  said  by 
Drayton  to  be  rife  in  that  little  England  beyond  Wales,  the  Flemish 
colony  in  Pembrokeshire.  || 

♦  [iv.  1336.]  t  [iv-  1339.] 

%  They  are  not  to  be  found  in  the  1753  edition  of  Drayton.    I  take  them  from 
a  print  of  the  Polyolbion  contemporary  with  him. 

§  "Divination  by  the  Blade-Bone,"  Folk-Lore  Record,  vol.  i.  pp.  176-179. 
II  Pol.  V.  [ii.  7G0]. 


368  THE  FOLK-LORE  OF  DRAYTON. 

"A  divination  strange  the  Dutch-made  English  have 
Appropriate  to  that  place  (as  though  some  power  it  gave), 
By  th'shoulder  of  a  ram  from  ofiE  the  right  side  par'd 
Which  usually  they  boil,  the  spade-bone  being  bar'd  ; 
Which  when  the  wizard  takes  and  gazing  thereupon 
Things  long  to  come  fore-shows,  as  things  done  long  agone 
Scapes  secretly  at  home,  as  those  abroad  and  far, 
Murthers,  adulterous  stealths,  as  the  events  of  war. 
The  reigns  and  death  of  kings  they  take  on  them  to  know, 
Which  only  to  their  skill  the  shoulder-blade  doth  show." 

"  Take  this,"  says  Selden,*  commenting,  "  as  a  taste  of  their  art  in 
old  time"  ;  and  he  goes  on  to  give  an  example  from  the  Itinerarium 
of  Giraldus  (i.  cap.  2)  touching  one  William  Mangunel,  who,  in  Henry 
the  Second's  time,  resided  in  the  district  of  which  we  are  speaking, 
and  was  unhappy  enough  to  have  doubts  as  to  the  fidelity  of  his  wife. 
lie  determined  to  resolve  them,  and  dressing  a  shoulder-bone  of  one 
of  his  own  rams  for  dinner,  pretending  the  while  that  it  came  from 
his  neighbour's  flock,  he  asked  the  lady  to  divine  thereby.  She 
examined  the  bone,  and  laughed  heartily.  Her  husband  inquired 
wherefore,  and  she  answered  that  she  had  detected  unfaithfulness  on 
the  part  of  the  spouse  of  him  from  whose  fold  the  ram  had  been 
taken.  "  But  why  she  could  not  as  well  divine  of  whose  flock  it  was 
as  the  other  secret,  when  I  have  more  skill  in  osteomancy  I  will  tell 
you,"  promises  Selden. 

In  the  infancy  of  Notes  and  Clueries,'\  M.  E.  F.  showed  that  Den- 
bighshire had  not  altogether  forgotten  the  virtue  of  a  blade-bone  in 
1850.  Some  natural  curiosity  having  arisen  in  a  family  as  to  the  sex 
of  an  expected  baby,  an  old  woman  asked  permission  to  use  a  harm- 
less charm  to  learn  the  secret.  "  Accordingly,  she  joined  the  servants 
at  supper,  where  she  assisted  in  clearing  a  shoulder  of  mutton  of  eveiy 
particle  of  meat.  She  then  held  the  blade-bone  to  the  fire  until  it 
was  scorched,  so  as  to  permit  her  to  force  her  thumbs  through  the 
thin  part.  Through  the  holes  thus  made  she  passed  a  string,  and, 
having  knotted  the  ends  together,  she  drove  in  a  nail  over  the  back- 
door, and  left  the  house,  giving  strict  injunctions  to  the  servants  to 
hang  the  bone  up  in  that  place  the  last  thing  at  night.     Then  they 

•  [ii.  764.] 

t  1st  S.  vol.  ii.  p.  20;  or  see  Choice  Notes  ;  Folk-Lorc,  pp.  20,  21. 


THE  FOLK-LORE  OP  DRAYTON.  369 

were  carefully  to  observe  who  should  first  enter  that  door  on  the 
following  morning,  exclusive  of  the  members  of  the  household,  and 
the  sex  of  the  child  would  be  that  of  the  first-comer.  This  rather 
vexed  some  of  the  servants,  who  wished  for  a  boy,  as  two  or  three 
women  came  regularly  each  morning  to  the  house,  and  a  man  was 
scarcely  ever  seen  there  ;  but  to  their  great  delight  the  first-comer 
on  this  occasion  proved  to  be  a  man,  and  in  a  few  weeks  the  old 
woman's  reputation  was  established  throughout  the  neighbourhood  by 
the  birth  of  a  boy." 

Blade-bone  divination  however,  as  Mr.  Thoms  has  shown,  is 
practised  by  other  than  "  Dutch-made  "  folk.  A  dark  spot  in  that 
bone  was  formerly  regarded  by  Irish  seers  as  a  prognostic  of  a  funeral 
from  the  house  in  which  they  saw  it.*  To  this  day  brigands  in 
Macedonia  have  implicit  faith  in  the  prophetic  power  of  the  shoulder- 
blade  of  the  sheep  or  goat  on  Avhich  they  have  dined.  They  carefully 
examine  it,  and  says  one  who  has  knowledge  of  their  method  with  a 
captive,!  '*  should  there  be  a  small  hole,  it  represents  the  grave  of  the 
prisoner  and  signifies  that  the  ransom  will  not  be  paid;  if  there  appear 
small  lines  running  in  the  direction  of  the  leg  bone,  it  denotes  that 
everything  will  go  satisfactorily  and  the  money  be  paid ;  but  should 
the  lines  run  at  right  angles,  then  pursuit  and  perhaps  capture  will  be 
the  result  of  their  enterprise."  In  1867  I  heard  of  osteomancy, 
though  not  by  means  of  the  blade-bone,  being  resorted  to  in  Lincoln- 
shire. There  was  a  person  near  Sleaford  who  could  give  in  autumn 
information  concerning  the  weather  of  the  following  spring,  from 
observation  of  the  breast-bones  of  geese,  which  if  light  prognosticated 
a  genial  season,  and  if  dark  the  contrary.  "Bar  Point"  told  the 
readers  of  Notes  and  Queries,  \  that  in  the  country  about  Philadelphia 
the  same  breast-bones  are  thought  to  indicate  the  temperature  of  the 
coming  winter.  Dark-coloured  marks  portend  cold.  "  Sometimes  the 
breast-bone  is  divided  into  thirteen  equal  parts  by  perpendicular  lines 
to  point  out  the  weather  for  each  week." 

{To  he  continued.') 

*  Irish  Folk-Lorc,  by  "  Lageniensis,"  p.  248. 

f  "  Brigandage  in  Macedonia,"  Cornhlll  3Iagazlne,  September,  1881,  p.  358; 
see  also  Henderson's  Folk-Lore  of  tha  Northern  Counties,  p.  175  (F.L.S.) 
t  4th  S.  vol.  i.  p.  234. 

Vol.  2.— Part  12.  2  b 


370 


FOLK-TALES  OF  INDIA, 

{Continued  from  page  340.) 


Notes  on  the  "  Sasa  JAtaka." — (Ante ,  p.  336.) 

1.  "  Then  he  squeezed  the  mountain." 

Dr.  Rhys]  Davids,  in  his  Buddhism,  p.  198,  translates  (with 
reference  to  this  passage)  the  Pali  word  jnleti  by  *'to  open."  I  have 
never  come  across  the  verb  in  this  sense.  The  corresponding  term  in 
Sanskrit  does  not  mean  '*  to  open,"  but  to  squeeze,  press,  &c. 

I  have  intentionally  used  the  term  squeezed  because  the  essence  or 
sap  (as  Dr.  Davids  calls  it)  was  pressed  out  of  the  mountain  like 
milk  out  of  a  cow  (to  use  the  old  Hindd  simile). 

The  mountain  here  alluded  to  in  this  story  is  Himavat  or 
Himalaya. 

According  to  Hindu  tradition  it  is  recorded  that  when,  in  the  reign 
of  Prithu,  gods,  saints,  &c.  milked  the  earth  of  its  various  treasures, 
precious  stones,  herbs  (with  wonderful  healing  and  renovating 
properties),  &c.  Himavat  was  selected  as  the  calf  ox  recipient  of  all 
these  good  things.      (See  Kumdra-sambhava,  i.  2.) 

In  this  way  the  mountain  contained  the  essence  of  the  earth's 
goodness,  so  that  when  Indra  squeezed  (or  milked)  the  mountain  lie 
took  from  it  the  quintessence  so  to  speak,  the  **  cream  of  the  cream  '* 
of  the  earth's  produce.  Nothing  else,  in  Fact,  would  have  been  good 
enough  or  enduring  enough  to  draw  an  everlasting  figure  of  the  hare 
upon  the  moon. 

It  is  worth  noticing  that  the  author  of  the  Kumdra-sainhhava 
mentions  a  red  mineral  fluid  (dhdtu-rasa)  obtained  from  Himavat  for 
writing  letters  on  Bhurja-bark. 

2.  The  moon  is  often  called  hare-marked  in  Hindil  works.  See 
Kathd-Sarit-Sdgara,  bk.  x.  ch.  Ixii ;  Ilitopadesa  (Johnson's  trans- 
lation, p.  75) ;  Contemporary/  Review  (May,  1881,  p.  781). 


FOLK-TALES  OF  INDIA.  371 


Note  on  the  "  Kaccani  Jataka." 

Offerings  to  the  manes  might  consist  of— (1)  watei",  (2)  water  and 
sesamum-seed  (tilanjali),  (3)  balls  of  food  with  water.  The  balls 
were  chiefly  composed  of  boiled  rice,  or  rice  and  sesamum-seed. 

"  On  the  first  day,  or  the  third  or  seventh  or  ninth  (after  the  death 
of  a  person),  his  kinsmen  should  change  their  raiment  and  bathe 
out-of-doors,  and  offer  a  libation  of  water  with  (tila)  sesamum-seeds." 
(  Vishnu-Pur dna^  bk.  iii.  ch.  xiii.) 

The  Culladhanuggaha  Jataka.* 
The  Punishment  of  Lust. 

In  days  long  since  past,  when  Brahmadatta  reigned  at  Benares,  the 
Bodhisat  attained  to  the  position  of  Indra,  king  of  the  gods.  At 
that  time  a  certain  brahman  youth,  a  native  of  Benares,  who  was 
studying  all  sciences  at  Takkasila,  became  accomplished  in  the  use  of 
the  bow,  and  was  called  Little-Bowman. 

It  came  to  pass  that  his  instructor  gave  him  his  daughter  to  wife 
because  he  thought  him  to  be  equal  to  himself  in  the  acquisition  of 
science.  He  accepted  her  and  set  out  with  the  intention  of  going  to 
Benares. 

On  the  way  he  found  that  an  elephant  had  rendered  that  district 
uninhabitable,  and  no  one  dared  to  go  up  that  way.  Although  folks 
tried  repeatedly  to  turn  him  from  his  purpose,  nevertheless  Little- 
Bowman  went  up,  along  with  his  wife,  right  into  the  heart  of  that 
forest.  But  when  he  got  into  the  middle  of  it  the  elephant  started  up. 
With  an  arrow  he  hit  it  on  the  temple ;  that  arrow  went  right  through 
it  and  came  out  behind,  and  the  elephant  forthwith  fell  down  dead 
upon  the  ground. 

After  rendering  that  place  safe  for  wayfarers  Little-Bowman  came 
to  another  forest  further  on  ;  and  there  fifty  robbers  obstructed  the 
road.  Up  he  went,  too,  into  that  forest,  notwithstanding  that  folks 
tried  all  they  could  to  dissuade  him,  and  reached  the  place,  near  the 

*  Jataka  Booh,  vol.  iii.  No.  374,  p.  219. 
2  B  2 


372  FOLK-TALES  OF  INDIA. 

road,  where  those  robbers  were  eating  the  animals  they  had  killed  and 
cooked. 

When  they  saw  him  coming  along  witli  his  wife,  who  was  tricked 
out  in  all  her  finery,  they  set  about  to  seize  them.  The  captain  of 
the  robbers,  who  had  some  skill  in  reading  men's  characters,  after 
looking  at  him  attentively,  became  aware  that  this  was  a  first-rate 
man,  and  he  would  not  allow  any  one  to  molest  him. 

Little-Bowman  sent  his  wife  to  the  robbers  and  thus  addressed 
her  :  "  Go  bring  some  meat,  and  say  to  them,  '  Give  us  too  a  piece  of 
meat.' "  She  went  and  said  :  "  My  man  says,  '  Give  us  a  piece  of 
meat.'  "  The  robber-chief  ordered  a  piece  of  meat  to  be  given  to  her 
because  he  thought  him  to  be  an  out-and-out  good  fellow.  His  men, 
however,  gave  her  a  piece  of  uncooked  meat,  saying,  "  Shall  he  eat 
the  meat  cooked  for  us  ? "  Thereupon  Little-Bowman,  out  of  a 
feeling  of  self-respect,  grew  angry  with  the  robbers  because  they  had 
given  him  uncooked  meat.  The  robbers  started  up  and  in  a 
threatening  tone  exclaimed,  "How's  this?  This  is  only  one  man; 
are  we  women  (to  be  afraid  of  him)  ?  " 

Little-Bowman  struck  forty-nine  men  with  as  many  arrows,  and 
brought  them  to  the  ground;  but  there  was  no  arrow  with  which  he 
could  hit  the  robber-chief.  It  is  said  that  he  had  at  first  only  fifty 
arrows  ;  one  of  them  he  had  used  to  strike  the  elephant,  and  with  the 
remainder  he  had  killed  the  robbers.  He  knocked  down  the  robber- 
chief,  sat  on  his  breast  with  the  intention  of  cutting  off  his  head,  and 
drew  the  sword  from  the  hand  of  his  wife.  She,  at  that  very  instant, 
conceived  a  passion  for  the  robber-chief,  and  placed  the  sword  in  the 
hand  of  the  robber  and  the  scabbard  in  the  hand  of  her  husband.  The 
robber  laid  hold  of  the  hilt,  drew  the  sword,  cut  off  Little- Bowman's 
head,  and  killed  him.  Then,  as  he  was  going  off  along  with  the  wife, 
he  made  inquiries  as  to  her  birth.  She  replied,  "  I  am  the  daughter 
of  a  celebrated  teacher  in  Takkasilu."  "  How  came  it  about,"  he 
asked,  "that  this  man  got  you  for  a  wife?"  "My  father,"  she 
answered,  "gave  me  to  him,  because  he  thought  him  to  be  quite 
equal  to  himself  in  acquiring  science.  But  I,  out  of  friendship  to 
you,  have  caused  the  husband,  provided  with  all  due  solemnity  for  me 
by  my  family,  to  be  killed." 


FOLK-TALES  OF  INDIA.  373 

Now  the  robber-chief  thought  to  himself,  "  This  woman  has  mur- 
dered the  husband  to  wliom  she  was  given  with  all  due  ceremony  by 
her  family;  perhaps  she  may  see  another  she  prefers  to  me  and  serve 
me  exactly  the  same,  so  I  must  get  rid  of  her  at  once." 

As  he  was  going  along  ho  saw,  in  the  course  of  his  journey,  a 
little  shallow  stream,  which  at  that  moment  happened  to  be  full  of 
water.  "  There's  a  savage  crocodile  in  this  river,"  said  he.  "  What 
had  we  better  do  ?  "  "  Master,"  she  replied,  "  make  a  bundle  of  my 
ornaments  with  my  upper  garment;  take  it  across  the  stream,  leave  it 
there,  and  then  come  and  fetch  me."  "  All  right !  "  said  he.  Taking 
the  bundle  containing  the  ornaments  he  went  across  the  stream,  as  if 
to  return,  but  when  he  gained  the  further  bank  he  proceeded  on  his 
way  and  left  the  woman  behind.  On  perceiving  this  she  exclaimed: 
"  Master,  you  are  going  away  as  if  you  meant  to  abandon  me.  Why 
do  you  do  so  ?  Come  take  me  and  then  depart."  While  thus  talking 
with  him  she  uttered  the  following  verse  :  — 

*'  My  jewels  of  gold,  0  brahman,  you've  got, 
The  stream  you  have  crossed  all  safely,  I  ween; 
Oh  I  quickly  return,  I  pray  thee,  at  once 
And  take  me  from  here,  far  away  o'er  the  stream." 

On  hearing  this  the  robber,  standing  on  the  opposite  bank,  spake 
the  following  gdtha  : — 

"  A  man  unknown  I  am,  yet  me  you  chose, 
And  off  did  cast  your  spouse,  long  known  and  tried  ; 
The  substance  you  have  left,  the  shadow  seized, 
I  trust  you  not,  again  you  may  do  wrong, 
And  me  exchange,  perhaps,  for  some  one  else. 
Far  hence  I'll  go  and  ne'er  return  again. 

Moreover  the  robber  said:  "  I'll  go  very  far  away  from  this  place, 
but  do  you  remain  where  you  are." 

And  e'en  while  she  was  crying  he  took  and  made  ofif  with  her 
articles  of  jewelry  and  the  rest.  To  such  grief  did  this  poor  fool 
come  through  outrageous  lust.  Forlorn  and  destitute  she  drew  near 
to  an  E/agala  bush  not  far  off,  and  there  she  sat  weeping  bitterly. 

At  that  moment  Indra,  who  was  looking  round  the  world,  beheld 
that  woman,  afflicted  with  excessive  lust,  who  had  lost  both  husband 


374  FOLK-TALES  OP  INDIA. 

and  lover,  as  she  sat  weeping  and  wailing,  and  he  determined  to  come 
and  reprove  that  woman  and  put  her  to  shame. 

Taking  Matali  (his  charioteer)  and  Paiicasikha  (one  of  his  musicians) 
with  him  he  proceeded  to  that  place  where  the  woman  was,  and, 
standing  on  the  bank  of  the  stream,  gave  them  the  following  instruc- 
tions : 

"  Do  you,  Mutali,  become  a  fish,  and  you,  Pancasikha,  take  the 
form  of  a  bird;  but  1,  under  the  guise  of  a  jackal,  with  a  piece  of 
meat  in  my  mouth,  will  go  to  the  place  exactly  opposite  to  that  woman. 
Do  you.  Matali,  when  I  get  there,  dart  out  of  the  water  and  fall  in 
front  of  me;  then  I,  dropping  the  piece  of  meat  that  I've  got  in  my 
mouth,  will  make  a  spring  to  catch  the  fish.  At  that  instant  do  you, 
Pancasikha,  seize  the  piece  of  meat  and  fly  up  with  it  into  the  air ; 
and  do  you,  Matali,  drop  into  the  water."  "  So  be  it,  sire,"  they 
replied.  Matali  turned  into  a  fish,  Pancasikha  became  a  bird,  but 
Indra  took  the  form  of  a  jackal,  with  a  lump  of  flesh  in  his  mouth, 
and  went  to  a  spot  exactly  opposite  to  that  woman. 

The  fish  leapt  out  of  the  water,  and  alighted  in  front  of  the  jackal, 
which  thereupon  dropped  the  piece  of  meat  it  had  in  its  mouth,  and 
bounded  forward  to  seize  the  fish.  The  fish  sprang  up  and  fell  into 
the  water,  and  the  bird  seized  the  piece  of  meat  and  flew  up  into  the 
air  with  it.  The  jackal,  that  had  got  neither  the  meat  nor  the  fish, 
sat  near  the  E^agala  bush  quite  chap-fallen  and  sad.  That  woman 
saw  it,  and  thought  to  herseH — "  Through  its  over-greediness  it  has 
got  neither  the  meat  nor  fish."  Thereupon,  she  burst  out  in  a  roar  of 
laughter ;  'twas  just  as  if  she  were  crashing  a  jar. 

On  hearing  that  the  jackal  spake  the  following  gdtha: — 

"  0  pray  who  is  this  that  sits  by  the  bush, 
And  gave  such  a  laugh  that  startled  us  all  ? 
No  music  I  bear,  nor  dancing,  nor  song ; 
No  cause  of  great  mirth  do  I  find  round  about ; 
Ob  I  why,  O  Susso/ii,  so  lovely  and  fair, 
Pray  wby  did  you  laugh  when  weeping  you  were  ?  " 

In  reply,  she  spake  the  following  gdtha:—' 

"  0  jackal  so  brown,  most  stupid  are  you, 
No  skill  have  you  got,  nor  knowledge,  nor  wit. 
Yonr  fisb  bave  you  lost,  your  meat  is  all  gone, 
And  now  you  sit  grieving,  all  poor  and  forlorn." 


FOLK-TALES  OF  INDIA.  875 

Then  the  jackal  spake  the  next  qdtha: — 

"  Tlie  faults  of  others  easy  are  to  see, 
But  hard  indeed  our  own  arc  to  behold. 
Thy  husband  thou  hast  lost  and  lover  eke, 
And  now,  I  ween,  thou  grievest  o'er  thy  loss." 

On  hearing  these  words  she  replied  : — 

*'  0  king  of  beasts  most  true,  in  sooth,  thy  words, 
I  know  full  well  they  to  my  case  apply  ; 
From  hence  I'll  go  to  take  another  spouse. 
His  will  I'll  do  and  faithful  be  and  kind." 

When  Indra  heard  the  speech  of  that  dissolute  woman  he  uttered 
the  concluding  gdtha: — 

"  He  who  an  earthen  pot  would  basely  steal. 
Will  take,  if  chance  arise,  a  golden  bowl ; 
So  you,  who  now  a  wicked  deed  hath  done. 
Will  sin  again  when  moved  by  fleshly  lust." 

After  Indra  had  thus  put  this  woman  to  shame,  and  caused  her  to 
feel  remorse  (for  the  wrong  she  had  done),  he  went  immediately  to  his 
own  divine  abode. 

Note. — This  story  is  perhaps  the  original  of  "  The  dog  and  the 
Shadow." 

See  the  story  of  Su8R07^t  in  Thibetan  Tales,  pp.  232-234,  and  com- 
pare Pancatantra,  iv.  9. 

There  is  a  Sinhalese  version  of  the  Pali  story,  entitled  King 
Maname,  contained  in  the  Koldh-kavi-pota.  See  The  Orientalist^  for 
August,  1884,  pp.  184-186. 


UbhatobhaWha  JAtaka.* 

The  Covetous  Fisherman. 

In  days  long  since  past,  when  Brahmadatta  reigned  at  Benares, 
the  Bodhisat  was  reborn  as  a  tree-sprite.  At  that  time  in  a  certain 
village  there  lived  some  fishermen.  One  day  a  certain  fisherman  took 
his  hook,  and,  along  with  his  little  boy,  he  went  and  cast  his  hook  into 

♦  Jdtalia  Booh,  vol.  i.  No.  139,  p.  482. 


376  FOLK-TALES  OF  INDIA. 

a  pond,  where  fishermen  were  wont  to  go  and  catch  fish.  The  hook 
got  fixed  in  a  stump  hidden  under  the  water.  The  fishei-man,  unable 
to  drag  it  out,  thought  to  himself,  "  There  will  be  a  big  fish  at  the 
end  of  this  hook;  I'll  send  my  little  boy  home  with  a  message  to  his 
mother,  and  bid  her  pick  a  quarrel  with  her  neighbours,  so  after  that 
they  will  not  expect  a  share  of  what  I  may  have  taken."  He  said  to 
his  son,  "  Go,  my  dear,  and  inform  your  mother  that  we  have  caught 
a  tremendous  big  fish,  and  tell  her  to  pick  a  quarrel  with  her  neigh- 
bours." After  he  had  sent  off  the  child  he  was  unable  to  get  his 
hook  out  of  the  stump  ;  for  fear  of  breaking  the  lines  he  placed  his 
upper  garment  upon  the  ground  and  went  down  into  the  water,  and  in 
searching  for  fish,  through  greed  of  fish,  he  struck  himself  against 
the  snags  and  injured  both  his  eyes. 

To  make  matters  worse  a  thief  even  carried  off  the  garment  be 
had  placed  on  the  ground.  Suffering  great  pain  and  ])ressing  his 
eyes  with  his  hands  he  came  trembling  out  of  the  water  and  began  to 
look  about  for  his  cloak. 

His  wife,  moreover,  stirred  up  a  quarrel,  thinking  to  herself,  *'  I'll 
manage  so  as  no  one  will  expect  anything."  So  one  ear  she  adorned 
with  a  palm-leaf  and  one  eye  she  smeared  with  soot  off  the  cooking- 
pot,  and  with  a  dog  in  her  bosom  she  proceeded  to  the  houses  of  her 
neighbours.  Then  a  certain  friend  said  to  her,  **  In  one  ear  you  have 
actually  got  a  palm-leaf  as  an  ornament,  one  eye  is  smeared,  and  you 
are  going  about  from  house  to  house  with  a  dog  in  your  bosom  as  if 
it  were  a  pet  child.     Why  surely  you  have  gone  out  of  your  senses." 

*'  I  have  not  gone  out  of  my  senses,  but  you  abuse  and  revile  me 
without  any  reason.  I'll  go  at  once  to  the  village  headman  and  have 
you  fined  eight  kahdpanas.^'  Having  thus  stirred  up  stnfo,  both  went 
before  the  village  headman.  When  he  had  investigated  the  quarrel, 
punishment  fell  even  upon  the  head  of  her  who  had  commenced  the 
disturbance.  "  Give  her  the  stick,"  was  the  sentence,  so  they  bound 
her  and  began  to  beat  her. 

A  tree-sprite,  who  had  witnessed  this  woman's  conduct  in  the 
village  and  the  injury  to  the  husband  in  the  forest,  standing  within 
the  branches  of  a  tree,  said,  <*  0  man,  your  work  both  in  the  water  and 


NOTES  AND  QUERIES.  377 

on  the  land  has  turned  out  badly.     In  two  ways  you  have  come  to 
grief."     Then  he  spake  the  following  gdtha  : — 

"  Twice  hast  thou  missed  the  mark  to-day, 
Once  in  the  pond,  once  on  the  land  ; 
Thine  eyes  are  hurt,  thy  cloak  is  gone, 
And  strife  with  friends  thy  wife  has  raised." 

(^To  he  continued.) 


NOTES  AND  QUERIES. 

Unspoken  Nettles. — Nettles  in  many  parts  of  Scotland  were  till 
not  very  many  years  ago  used  as  food,  and  were  looked  upon  as  a 
wholesome  diet.  The  young  and  tender  leaves  were  gathered,  boiled , 
then  mashed  (Scotice,  chappit),  mixed  with  a  little  oat-meal,  and 
reboiled  for  a  short  time.  They  were  cooked  in  the  same  way  as 
''greens,"  which  were  and  are  still  thought  to  possess  medicinal 
virtues.  In  the  north  such  a  dish  of  nettles  went  by  the  name  of 
"nettle  kail,"  as  the  dish  of  "greens"  went  by  that  of  "chappit  kail." 
But  the  nettle,  as  in  many  other  parts,*  was  used  as  a  medicine 
under  the  form  of  "  nettle  ale,"  for  the  cure  of  jaundice.  The  ale 
was  prepared  in  the  following  manner:  a  quantity  of  nettle-roots 
was  gathered,  thoroughly  washed,  and  then  boiled  for  hours  in  water 
till  a  strong  extract  was  got.  This  extract  was  then  treated  with 
yeast,  "barm,"  fermented,  "vrocht,"  and  bottled.  A  man  whose 
mother  was  in  the  habit  of  making  this  ale  lately  told  me  he  had 
often  drunk  it,  and  found  it  quite  palatable. 

In  one  district  at  least  the  medicinal  virtue  of  the  nettle  lay  in  its 
being  "unspoken,"  i.e.  no  one  must  speak  to  the  gatherer  of  it,  and 
collected  at  the  hour  of  midnight.    The  following  story,  communicated 

*  J.  G.  Dalyell,  DarJcc?-  Superstitions  of  Scotland,  p.  28.  W.  G.  Black, 
Folk- Medicine,  pp.  194,  195. 


378  NOTES  AND  QUERIES. 

to  me  by  Mr.  Alexander  Walker,  ex-dean  of  guild,  Aberdeen,  illus- 
trates this  notion.     The  scone  of  the  story  is  in  Kincardineshire. 

'•  Geordie  Tamson,  who  lived  near  Jollybrands  on  the  south  turn- 
pike, not  far  from  the  toll-bar,  lay  sick.    After  weeks  of  treatment  by 
the  doctor,  Geordie  lay  ill,  without  the  least  token  of  improvement. 
A  "  skeely  woman  "  from  the  Dounies,  a  village  not  far  off,  was  called 
in.     She  at  once  prescribed  a  supper  of  "  nettle  kail,"  and  added  that 
the  dish  must  be  made  of  "  unspoken  nettles,"  gathered  at  midnight. 
That   very  night    by    eleven    o'clock   three   young   men,   friends   of 
Gcordie's,  from  Cairngrassie,  were  on  their  way  to  the  Red  Kirkyard 
of  Portlethen,  where  there  was  a  fine  bed  of  nettles.     It  was  bright 
moonlight.     It  happened  that  during  the  previous  week  Jamie  Leipar, 
from  the  Skatera,  had  been  laid  beside  his  fathers  in  the  Red  Kirk- 
yard, and  his  body  was  being  watched  by  his  brothers,  lest  the  body- 
snatchers,  or   *'  resurrectionists,"   should  carry   it   off"  for  dissecting 
purposes.     When  the  three  young  men  were  nearing   the  kirkyard 
yitt,  they  heard  whisperings  inside  the  wall.     Up  to  this  time  they 
had  met  no  one,  had  been  spoken  to  by  no  one.     Now,  if  they  we're 
challenged,  before  they  reached  the  nettles  in  the  corner  of  the  yard 
next  the  sea,  and  filled  their  basket,  their  labour  was  lost,  and  the 
herb  was  useless  as  medicine.     Calling  to  mind  who  the  whisperers 
were,  and  trusting  that  they  and  their  errand  were  known,  they  cried: 
"  Dinna  spyke,  dinna  spyke.    Ye're  watchin  Jamie  Leipar.   We're  nae 
resurrection  fouk  ;  we're  fae  Cairngrassie,  come  tae  gaither  *  unspoken 
nettles '  tae  mak  Geordie  Tamson  better.     Dinna  spyke  then  :  for 
God's  sake,    dinna  spyke,  or    ye'U  spilt   a'."      In   a  moment    the 
whispering  ceased,  not  a  word  was  spoken.      To  the  sound  of  the 
waves  breaking  on  the  rocks  behind  the  kirk  the  nettles  were  gathered, 
carefully  taken  to  the  sick  man,  cooked  of  course,  and  given  him.     A 
complete  and  speedy  recovery  followed." 

Walter  Gregor. 
Miscellaneous  Superstitions  in  Poula.— Isle  of  Vaila,  Shetland, 
October  30. — In  my  last  letter  I  gave  an  account  of  the  superstitious 
customs  connected  with  farming  and  fisliing,  and  I  shall  now  exhibit 
a  miscellaneous  assortment  of  current  beliefs  that  have  no  rational 
basis.     A  plague  of  moths  will  infest  the  house  into  which  a  woman 


NOTES  AND  QUERIES.  379 

newly  risen  from  childbed  enters  without  being  invited  to  eat  and 
drink.  A  thread  having  nine  knots  upon  it,  is,  when  fastened  round 
the  joint,  an  effectual  cure  for  a  sprain.  Some  are  of  opinion  that 
three  threads  of  different  colours  will  answer  better.  Three  and  three 
times  three  have  been  magic  numbers  from  very  ancient  times.  A 
drink  of  water  in  which  a  stone  found  in  the  stomach  of  a  cod  has 
been  boiled  is  a  preventive  of  sea-sickness.  A  generation  or  two 
ago  a  stitch  in  the  side  was  cured  by  placing  mould,  taken  from  a 
grave  and  heated  in  a  kettle,  upon  the  place  affected.  It  was  essential 
that  the  earth  should  be  taken  from  and  returned  to  the  grave  after 
sunset,  and  thereby  hangs  a  tale.  On  one  occasion  a  man  named 
Lawrence  Robertson,  who  was  celebrated  for  his  skill  in  applying  this 
remedy,  forgot  to  return  the  ghastly  poultice  to  the  grave  in  due  time, 
and  a  knock  was  heard  at  his  door  at  midnight,  when  he  exclaimed, 
"  Oh  !  dat's  Geordie  Henry's  ghost  come  for  the  moul'  dat  was  ta'en 
fnie  his  grave."  The  scum  that  rises  from  slugs  kept  in  a  bottle  is  a 
cure  for  rickets.  When  a  he-cat  is  killed,  misfortunes  of  all  kinds 
may  be  anticipated — cattle,  sheep,  and  poultry  will  die.  When  the 
milk  of  a  cow  has  been  bewitched,  and  all  the  profit  or  virtue  taken 
out  of  it  by  some  evil-disposed  person  acquainted  with  the  black  art, 
"water  should  be  taken  from  the  suspected  person's  well,  and  some  of  it 
be  given  to  the  cow,  and  the  rest  be  poured  into  a  pail  of  her  milk. 
If  no  one  in  particular  be  suspected,  water  from  other  wells  must  be 
tried  until  the  well  of  the  delinquent  be  detected,  and  the  milk  restored 
to  a  healthy  state.  About  two  years  ago  an  Established  Church 
minister  in  Tiree  refused  to  baptise  the  children  of  a  crofter  (John 
MacKinnon  by  name)  because  the  latter  persisted  in  believing  and 
declaring  that  a  woman  had  taken  the  profit  out  of  his  cow's  milk. 
Three  children  were  left  without  names  in  consequence  of  their  father's 
obstinacy.  Some  women  in  St.  Kilda  are  in  the  habit  of  putting  a 
small  flower  into  the  pail  when  they  go  to  the  glen  to  milk  their  cows 
and  ewes,  to  keep  the  milk  from  being  bewitched  by  an  "  evil  eye." 
Jn  Foula,  when  spotted  lambs  begin  to  be  common  it  is  a  sign  that  the 
flock  will  decrease.  It  is  wrong  to  mention  a  cat  to  a  man  who  is 
baiting  his  lines;  and  if  any  malicious  person  cries  to  a  fisherman 
bound  for  the  haaf,  "  There's  a  cat   in   your  bnddio,"  no  fish  will  be 


380  NOTES  AND  QUERIES. 

got.  When  eating  fish  never  toss  the  bones  into  the  fire,  or  the  same 
ill  fortune  will  be  the  result.  It  was  once  the  custom  when  a  man 
returned  with  a  poor  catch  for  the  wife  to  kick  the  buddie  round  the 
room  and  to  scold  the  man,  in  the  belief  that  it  would  occasion  better 
luck  in  future.  A  drink  of  water  taken  from  the  tops  of  three  waves 
is  believed  to  cure  the  toothache.  Water  from  the  tops  of  nine  waves 
and  in  which  nine  pebbles  from  the  shore  have  been  boiled  is  believed 
in  Tiree  to  be  a  cure  for  the  jaundice;  but  it  is  applied  externally, 
the  clothes  of  the  patient  being  dipped  in  the  magical  broth  and  put 
on  wet.  I  was  acquainted  with  a  man  on  whom  this  remedy  was  tried, 
but  failed.  He  died  a  few  months  afterwards.  When  your  tooth 
aches  pick  it  with  the  nail  of  an  old  coffin.  A  drink  from  a  knee-pan 
taken  from  a  grave  cures  many  diseases.  When  the  wind  blows  against 
a  funeral  party  it  is  an  omen  that  another  death  will  soon  occur. 
When  a  grave  is  dug  a  spade  is  laid  across  it  until  the  body  can  be 
interred,  so  as  to  prevent  hooded  crows  and  other  carrion  fowls  from 
carrying  off  the  bones,  it  being  a  common  belief,  not  confined  to  Foula, 
that  nothing  evil  can  pass  iron  or  steel.  When  a  corpse  is  lifted  the 
straw  on  which  it  lay  is  taken  outside  and  burned,  and  it  is  believed 
that  the  footprint  of  the  person  who  is  fated  to  die  next  will  be  seen  in 
the  ashes.  When  a  sick  person  talks  about  his  ailments,  the  listener, 
to  prevent  the  transference  of  the  diseases  to  himself,  keeps  spitting  in 
a  covert  way.  If  a  man  mentions  any  misfortune  that  has  happened 
to  himself  or  to  others,  the  same  precaution  is  used,  with  some  such 
comment,  if  reference  is  made  to  a  third  party,  as  **  His  ain  case  be't." 
It  is  unlucky  to  give  anything  out  of  a  house  on  a  Monday,  and  none 
but  a  fool  would  marry  on  a  Friday.  When  an  infant  is  teething,  live 
peats  for  kindling  should  not  be  given  to  a  neighbour,  else  the  child's 
teeth  will  stop  growing.  Burning  peats  should  not  be  turned  when 
lovers  are  in  the  house,  otherwise  the  young  man  will  become  dis- 
enchanted and  never  call  again.  Cinders  should  not  be  piled  on  the 
top  of  the  fire,  or  the  rent  will  be  raised.  When  a  cat  scratches  the 
floor  observe  where  she  looks,  for  from  that  direction  the  wind  will 
blow. — J.  Sands. — Glasgow  Herald ^  10th  November,  1884. 

Bible  Divination. — A  man  named  Noake  has  just  been  arrested  at 
Sedgeley  under  extraordinary  circumstances.      A  neighbour  named 


NOTES  AND  QUERIES.  381 

Griffiths  lost  some  bed-linen,  and,  suspecting  Noake  of  stealing  it,  she 
took  a  Bible  and  key  to  his  house,  and  took  her  garter  off  her  left  leg 
and  placed  it  around  the  Bible.  A  ceremony  having  been  gone 
through,  the  Bible,  it  was  alleged,  turned  round  to  defendant,  and  he 
was  arrested  on  a  warrant. —  Westmoreland  Gazette,  November  8th. 

Jan  Dark. — A  young  servant  of  mine  living  in  a  small  Cornish 
village  near  Penzance  asked  leave  last  Wednesday  (5th  November) 
to  go  home  to  see  her  mother.  The  weather  suddenly  changed,  and  it 
turned  into  a  very  wet,  dark  night.  "  It  was  so  dark,"  she  said,  "  that 
had  she  gone  '  Jan  Dark  '  would  have  carried  her  off."  I  asked  her 
who  "Jan  Dark"  was.  "Oh,  no  one,  Miss  Courtney;  it  is  only  a 
saying  in  the  country."  Could  this  possibly  be  a  survival  of  the  days 
when  Jeanne  d'Arc  was  burnt  for  a  witch  ?  M.  A.  Courtney. 

Lilias-day  at  Kilbarchan. — Yesterday  was  the  anniversary  of  what 
was  known  as  Lilias-day  in  Kilbarchan.  For  a  period  of  nearly  a 
hundred  years  it  was  customary  on  this  day  for  the  villagers  to  erect 
floral  arches  across  the  streets.  These  were  very  tastefully  got  up, 
and  as  they  were  kept  untouched  till  the  following  Monday,  they  were 
the  means  of  drawing  a  large  number  of  strangers  from  the  sm-roun- 
ding  towns  into  Kilbarchan.  It  was  found,  however,  to  be  very 
inconvenient  to  have  a  week's  holiday  at  this  time,  because  most  of 
the  inhabitants,  being  weavers,  were  again  thrown  idle  during  Paisley 
Fair  season.  Accordingly,  Lilia>day  has  almost  died  out." — Glasgow 
News,  31st  July,  1884.  William  George  Black. 

Oak  and  Nettle  Day  in  Nottinghamshire.— A  custom  now  dying 
out  existed  in  Nottinghamshire  on  the  twenty- ninth  of  May,  or  "  Oak 
and  Nettle  day,"  as  it  is  termed  in  Nottinghamshire.  The  rising 
generation  sally  out  in  the  morning,  their  caps  and  buttonholes 
adorned  with  sprigs  of  oak.  They  also  provide  themselves  with  a 
bunch  of  nettles.  They  request  all  persons  whom  they  meet  with  "  to 
show  your  oak."  If  a  single  leaf  even  is  produced  they  are  permitted 
to  pass  on  unmolested,  but  snp230sing  they  arc  unprovided  with  the 
necessary  sprig  or  leaf  their  face,  neck,  and  hands  are  well  "  nettled." 
When  punishment  has  been  bestowed  for  disloyalty,  a  slip  of  oak  is 
presented  to  the  offending  party,  who  is  thus  provided  with  protection 
from  the  next  gang  of  youths  and  lads  they  meet.     This  nettling 


382  NOTICES  AND  NEWS. 

business  is  only  perfonned  up  to  midday.  It  is  not  recognised  as 
"  lawful  "  to  nettle  afterwards.  Some,  who  are  unable  to  procure  it, 
endeavour  to  avoid  the  penalty  by  wearing  dog  oak  (maple),  but  the 
punishment  is  always  more  severe  on  the  discovery  of  the  imposition. 
A  more  unpleasant  custom  prevailed  in  the  northern  portion  of  the 
county  about  twenty  years  ago.  Those  who  did  not  conform  to  the 
usages  of  the  *' Royal  Oak  day"  were  pelted  with  rotten  eggs.  In 
order  to  be  well  supplied  with  the  "  needful"  for  that  day,  the  young 
men  would  hoard  up  hen  eggs  for  about  a  couple  of  months  before 
they  would  be  brought  into  requisition,  so  that  the  eggs  would  become 
rotten  before  they  were  required.  This  custom  was  in  time  carried  to 
such  an  extent  that  the  "  strong  arm  of  the  law"  was  often  brought 
into  requisition  to  suppress  it,  the  rough  young  folk  pelting  persons 
indiscriminately.  Smaller  eggs  are  still  used  by  the  school-lads  on 
"  King  Charles'  day."  E. 

Folk-Lore  Terminology. — (Ante,  p.  348). — I  have  been  prevented 
from  completing  my  letter  on  this  subject  owing  to  pressure  of  woik, 
but  I  hope  to  have  it  ready  for  the  January  issue.         G.  L.  Gomme. 


NOTICES  AND  NEWS. 

Custom  and  Myth.     By  Andrew  Lang.     London,  1884.     (Longmans, 
Green  &  Co.)     8vo.  pp.  312. 

Folklorists  have  for  some  time  past  been  expecting  from  Mr.  I^ang 
an  exposition  of  his  views  on  folk-lore ;  views  which,  having  been 
often  expressed  in  essays  and  controversial  letters  in  the  Academy 
and  elsewhere,  have  proclaimed  him  as  the  chief  champion  of  those 
students  who  think  that  folk-lore  is  something  more  than  mythology, 
and  that  mythology  is  something  more  than  diseased  language.  To 
many  this  book  on  custom  and  myth  will  be  disappointing,  because 
Mr.  Lang  does  something  more  than  hint  that  it  is  to  take  the  place, 
at  all  events  for  the  present,  of  a  larger  book  and  a  more  comprehensive 
study.  Recognizing,  as  all  must,  that  Mr.  Lang  has  every  right  to 
expound  his   theory   of  folk-lore  and  its  teaching,  it  must  also  be 


NOTICES   AND    NEWS.  383 

admitted  that  in  these  fragments  from  his  workshop  he  does  not  do 
full  justice  to  his  subject  nor  to  his  position  as  our  most  distinguished 
folklorist.  A  book  from  him,  however,  is  sure  to  be  welcome  ;  and 
just  now,  we  must  admit,  it  is  sorely  needed,  for  the  comparative 
mythologists  have  had  it  all  their  own  way  so  far  as  books  are 
concerned. 

We  shall  be  anxious  to  learn  what  the  school  of  Mr.  Max  Miiller 
and  Mr.  George  Cox  will  say  to  the  searching  criticism,  the  cogent 
reasoning  and  the  accumulation  of  evidence,  which  Mr.  Lang  has  pro- 
duced in  this  volume.  Many  of  our  members  are  no  doubt  followers 
of  the  mythological  school ;  but  the  writer  of  this  article,  not  being 
so,  must  be  allowed  to  say  that  nothing  that  has  yet  appeared  in  print 
so  worthily  champions  as  this  book  does,  thos3  who  believe  that 
folk-lore  and  mythology  are  two  different  and  distinct  studies.  Mr. 
Lang  does  not,  it  is  true,  attempt  any  detailed  exposition  of  folk-lore  ; 
he  does  not  define  it ;  he  even  hesitates  to  accept  its  classification  as 
a  science ;  but  he  gives  us  a  complete  study  of  several  very  important 
folk-talcs  which  makes  the  book  serve  as  an  admirable  stepping-stone 
to  those  who  are  inclined  to  go  into  further  detail  and  into  further 
fields  of  research. 

Mr.  Lang  examines  the  myths  of  the  Bull-Roarer;  Cronus ;  Cupid, 
Psyche,  and  the  Sun  Frog ;  the  three  tasks,  as  it  may  perhaps  be 
called  ;  Apollo  and  the  Mouse ;  Star  Myths  ;  Moly  and  Mandragora  ; 
the  "Kalevala";  Hottentot  Mythology ;  besides  which  there  are  studies 
on  the  Divining  Rod,  Fetich  ism  and  the  Infinite,  the  Early  History  of 
the  Family  and  the  Art  of  Savages.  Throughout  these  chapters  Mr. 
Lang  explains  myth  by  obsolete  customs.  He  says,  for  instance,  that  if 
the  ancient  Greeks  told  a  story  to  account  for  a  mouse  being  the  symbol 
of  Apollo,  they  told  it  at  a  time  when  they  had  passed  the  stage 
when  the  mouse  was  a  totem  fetish  of  a  tribe.  He  says  that  certain 
customs,  marriage  customs  and  clan  customs,  have  existed  among  all 
types  of  savage  society  in  much  the  same  general  fashion — the  result 
of  nearly  the  same  causes  ;  and  that  these  customs  survive  in  recol- 
lection and  tradition  long  after  the  tribe  or  people  have  passed  the 
savage  stage.  If  we  were  to  suggest  one  chapter  more  telling  than 
another  it  would  be  that  on  Cupid,  Psyche,  and  the  Sun  Frog.     Com- 


384  NOTICES  AND  NEWS. 

parative  mytliologists  examine  the  natncs  of  the  story-beroes,  and 
come  to  several  different  conclusions,  Mr.  Max  Miiller,  for  instance* 
seeing  a  myth  of  sun  and  da-svn,  Kuhn  a  fire-myth.  Mr.  Lang  takes 
for  his  text  the  incident  in  the  story  where  in  the  Sanskrit  version 
Urvasi  says  to  her  mortal  husband,  "  Never  let  me  see  you  without 
your  royal  garments,  for  this  is  the  custom  of  women.^'  He  then 
proceeds  to  examine  this  "  custom  of  women  "  among  savage  people, 
and  explains  the  story  from  the  results  hereby  obtained.  Of  course, 
the  answer  of  the  comparative  mythologists  to  this  reasoning  may  be 
tliat  they  might  explain  the  story  by  a  totally  dififerent  set  of  customs 
from  those  chosen  by  Mr.  Lang,  and  that  hence  the  same  fatal 
objection  will  apply  to  this  method  as  to  theirs,  namely,  that  scholars 
disagree  even  when  using  the  same  method  of  research  ;  but  we  are 
content  to  leave  this  to  them,  and  in  the  meantime  to  accept  Mr. 
Lang's  exposition  of  custom  and  myth  as  the  ablest  yet  extant. 

The  Council  have  decided  to  issue  the  Folk  Lore  Journal  quarterly 
instead  of  monthly.  The  days  of  issue  will  be  January  1st,  April  1st, 
July  1st,  and  October  1st.  As  the  first  number  to  be  issued  in 
January  will  give  so  little  time  for  preparation,  it  is  probable  it  may 
not  be  ready  until  about  the  15*h  January.  Members  may  have  the 
Journal  yearly  by  giving  notice  of  such  a  wish  to  the  Honorary 
Secretary,  Mr.  Granger  Hutt. 

We  have  sincere  pleasure  in  announcing  that  in  consideration  of 
his  distinguished  services  on  behalf  of  folk-lore.  Dr.  Pitre,  of  Palermo, 
has  just  been  made  a  knight  (cavaliere)  by  King  Umbert.  As  the 
Doctor  has  so  many  admirers  in  England,  this  royal  act  cannot  fail  to 
give  much  satisfaction  here  as  well  as  in  Italy.  It  is  certainly  the 
first  instance  of  a  folk-lorist  having  been  knighted  for  his  special 
studies. 

Some  delay  has  unfortunately  occurred  in  the  issue  of  the  Society's 
volume  for  1884,  Magyar  Talesy  by  the  Rev.  W.  H.  Jones  and  Mr. 
Lewis  Kropf.  It  is  hoped,  however,  that  the  volume  may  now  be  in 
the  hands  of  members  shortly. 


385 


ik  4^jIIi-<Iint  ^uu% 


SIXTH  ANNUAL  EEPORT  OF  THE  COUNCIL, 

14  JUNE,  1884. 


The  publications  for  the  year  1883  were  Mr.  William  George 
Black's  Folk  Medicine,  and  the  Folk-Lore  Journal  issued  to  the 
members  in  monthly  parts.  The  first-mentioned  volume  is  one 
of  the  most  important  yet  published  by  the  Society.  With  refer- 
ence to  the  Folk-Lore  Journal  the  Council  are  glad  to  report 
that  the  result,  financially,  has  been  successftd.  At  the  same 
time  the  Council  have  to  repeat  their  expressions  of  regret  con- 
veyed in  the  Annual  Report  last  year,  that  more  active  co-ope- 
ration is  not  forthcoming  among  the  members  of  the  Society. 
The  Folk-Lore  Journal  is  an  excellent  medium  of  inter-commu- 
nication, and  the  Council  cannot  but  think  that  many  members 
might  be  able  to  render  important  service  if  they  would  place 
themselves  en  rapport  with  the  Council  and  with  the  Folk-Tale 
Committee.  To  the  various  contributors  of  papers  to  the  Folk- 
Lore  Journal  the  Society  is  much  indebted. 

The  Folk-Tale  Committee  continue  to  receive  most  active 
assistance  in  the  work  of  tabulation  from  Mr.  William  John 
Crombie,  Mr.  George  L.  Apperson,  Mr.  E.  Sydney  Hartland, 
and  others.  Some  of  these  tabulations  have  been  selected  for 
printing  in  the  Folk-Lore  Journal.  As  a  result  of  this  experi- 
ment, the  work  of  printing  appeared  to  the  Committee  so 
important  to  the  success  of  their  labours  that  their  recommen- 
dation to  the  Council  to  utilize  the  Journal  for  this  purpose  was 

2c 


386  SIXTH  REPORT,  JUNE  1884. 

at  once  adopted.  It  is  therefore  hoped  that  in  the  future  a 
greater  amount  of  space  may  be  obtained  for  printing  these 
tabulations  of  Folk-Tales.  In  the  meantime  new  workers  are 
urgently  needed  to  aid  those  already  in  the  field,  and  thus  help 
to  bring  the  results  of  the  Committee's  plan  more  quickly  before 
students  of  this  important  branch  of  Folk-Lore.  The  Committee 
cannot  begin  to  classify  and  arrange  until  at  all  events  all 
the  principal  collections  of  Folk-Tales  are  completely  tabulated. 
The  bibliography  of  Folk-Lore  has  been  printed  in  the  Journal 
as  far  as  the  letter  C  (authors'  names).  Letter  D  is  ready  for 
press,  and  considerable  progress  has  been  made  witli  the  subse- 
quent portions.  The  object  of  printing  these  sections  in  the 
Journal  is  to  ensure  correction  of  any  errors,  and  the  addition 
of  titles  not  included  by  the  Editor,  and  members  may  materially 
help  the  Society  in  this  branch  of  its  work.  It  is  hoped  that 
more  rapid  progress  with  this  important  compilation  will  be  made 
this  year. 

The  Council  last  year  expressed  an  opinion  that  the  time  had 
not  come  for  the  appointment  of  Local  Secretaries,  and  it  is  not 
yet  prepared  to  arrange  such  a  complete  organisation  as  might 
be  wished.  As  a  first  step,  however,  it  is  thought  that  some 
arrangement  should  be  made  for  the  appointment  of  Local 
Secretaries  for  the  chief  divisions  of  the  British  Isles  and  for 
India,  and  they  accordingly  have  appointed  the  following 
gentlemen  : — 

Mr.  William  George  Black  for  South  Scotland. 

Rev.  W.  Gregor      .     .     .     ,,   North  Scotland. 

Mr.  G.  H.  Kinahan     .     .     „    Ireland. 

Mr.  J.  Fisher     .     .     .    .     „   Wales. 

Captain  R.  C.  Temple  .     .     „    India. 

The  Council   have  to  report  that  the   Right  Reverend  the 

Bishop  of  St.  John's,  Kaffi-aria  (Dr.  Henry  Callaway),  has  very 

kindly  presented  to  the  Society  about  eighty  copies  of  his  very 

valuable  Zulu  Nursery  Literature^  and  about  five  hundred  copies 


SIXTH  liEPORT,  JUNE  1884.  387 

of  his  Religious  System  of  the  Amazidii.  This  most  generous 
and  acceptable  gift  will  enable  the  Council  to  send  a  copy  of  the 
latter  work  to  each  member  of  the  Society ;  and  with  reference 
to  the  Zulu  Nursery  Literature,  the  Council  propose  to  offer  it 
for  sale  to  members  of  the  Society  at  half  a  guinea,  any  copies 
that  may  remain  being  offered  to  the  general  public  at  one 
guinea  net. 

The  Council  passed  the  following  resolution  and  forwarded  it 
to  the  Bishop : — "  Resolved  unanimously,  That  the  Council 
desire  to  express  their  best  thanks  to  the  Right  Reverend  the 
Bishop  of  St.  John's,  Kaffraria,  for  his  kind  and  valuable  pre- 
sent, and  to  assure  him  that  the  members  of  the  Society  will  be 
greatly  pleased  at  being  able  to  procure  a  copy  of  his  important 
collection  of  Zulu  Folk-lore." 

The  work  selected  for  the  1884  issue,  in  addition  to  the  Folk- 
Lore  Journal^  is  a  collection  of  Magyar  Folk-tales,  by  the 
Reverend  W.  H.  Jones  and  Mr.  Lewis  Kropf. 

It  frequently  occurs  that  reference  is  made  to  Folk-Lore  in 
the  Reports  of  Her  Majesty's  Diplomatic  and  Consular  Agents 
abroad,  and  it  has  occurred  to  the  Council  that  a  representation 
might  be  made  to  the  Government  to  urge  upon  them  the 
advisability  of  asking  their  agents  to  notice  matters  likely  to  be 
be  of  interest.  If  this  can  be  done,  the  Council  will  formulate 
a  code  of  questions  which  might  be  sent  for  the  guidance  of 
those  who  would  be  called  upon  to  report. 

At  the  last  Annual  Meeting  the  Council  were  empowered  to 
appoint  a  second  Honorary  Secretary,  to  take  charge  of  the 
financial  business  of  the  Society,  and  they  are  glad  to  report 
that  Mr.  A.  Granger  Hutt  has  kindly  consented  to  take  this 
office. 

The  work  of  the  Society  for  the  past  year,  though  not  so 
extensive  as  could  have  been  wished,  is  in  the  opinion  of  the 
Council  satisfactory.  During  the  last  year  a  great  deal  of 
encouragement  has  been  given  to  the  study  of  Folk-Lore  in 

2  c2 


388  SIXTH  REPORT,  JUNE  1884. 

foreign  countries.  In  Spain,  Portugal,  Italy  and  France, 
either  through  the  establishment  of  a  Folk-Lore  Society  or 
the  publication  of  a  journal  specially  devoted  to  the  study,  the 
movement  begun  by  this  Society  has  been  extended.  A  pro- 
posal has  also  been  made  to  establish  a  Folk-Lore  Society 
in  the  United  States ;  and  in  India  tlie  publication  of  Captain 
Temple's  Panjdh  Notes  and  Queries  promises  to  be  as  useful 
to  Hindu  Folk-Lore  as  our  own  Notes  and  Queries  has  been  in 
the  past  to  English.  Of  private  collectors  it  may  be  useful  to 
note  that  Captain  Conder  has  obtained  a  great  quantity  of 
Arab  Folk-Lore ;  Sir  Arthur  Gordon  has  brought  from  Fiji 
some  important  materials ;  Mr.  Karl  Krohn  is  now  travelling  in 
the  Baltic  provinces  of  Russia  collecting  Esthonian  and  Lettish 
Folk-Lore ;  and  the  Royal  Colonial  Institute  of  the  Hague  has 
resolved  to  request  replies  to  a  code  of  questions  on  proverbs 
addressed  to  all  the  Dutch  colonies. 

In  conclusion,  the  Council  would  observe  that  it  behoves  evefy 
member  interested  in  the  study  and  anxious  to  preserve  the 
position  which  this  Society  has  held  up  to  the  present  time,  to 
exert  himself  to  the  utmost  to  secure  additional  members.  There 
is  plenty  of  work  to  do,  and  it  must  be  done  quickly. 


SIXTH  REPORT,  JUNE  1884. 


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SIXTH  REPORT,  JUNE  1884. 


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SIXTH  UEPOliT,  JUNE  1884.  391 


STATEMENT  OF  THE  AUDITORS. 


2Qth  May,  1884. 

We,  the  Auditors  appointed  to  examine  the  Accounts  of  the 
Folk- Lore  Society,  hereby  certify  that  the  Treasurer  has  pro- 
duced to  us  the  Bankers*  pass-book  and  the  accounts  and  vouchers 
for  the  year  ending  31st  December,  1883,  and  we  also  certify 
that  the  above  statement  of  Receipts  and  Expenditure  is  correct. 

We  have  also  had  presented  to  us  a  Balance-sheet;  but  without 
examining  this  in  detail  we  are  satisfied  as  to  its  correctness  in 
principle  and  certify  accordingly. 

(Signed)        John  Tolhurst. 
J.  S.  Udal. 


392 


ANNUAL  MEETING. 


The  Sixth  Annual  Meeting  of  the  Folk-Lore  Society  was  held 
on  Saturday,  14  June,  1884,  at  the  residence  of  the  President, 
13,  Belgrave  Square,  at  4  o'clock  p.m. 

The  Right  Honourable  Earl  Bbauchamp,  F.S.A.,  President, 
took  the  Chair. 

The  Pkesident  moved  the  adoption  of  the  Report  of  the 
Council,  which  was  seconded,  and  carried  unanimously. 

The  Honorary  Secretary  then  read  the  Treasurers'  Account 
and  the  Statement  of  the  Auditors. 

It  was  proposed,  seconded,  and  resolved  unanimously,  "That 
the  Account  and  Statement  be  approved  and  adopted,  and 
that  the  thanks  of  the  Meeting  be  given  to  the  Auditors  and 
Treasurer." 

It  was  moved,  seconded,  and  resolved  unanimously,  "  That 
Mr.  A.  Lang,  M.A.,  Mr.  W.  R.  S.  Ralston,  M.A.,  and  Dr. 
Edward  B.  Tylor,  F.R.S.,  be  the  Vice-Presidents  of  the  Society. 

"  That  Mr.  Edward  Brabrook,  Mr.  James  Britten,  Mr.  Ed- 
ward Clodd,  Sir  W.  R.  Drake,  Mr.  G.  L.  Gomme,  Mr.  J.  T. 
Micklethwaite,  Mr.  Alfred  Nutt,  Rev.  Professor  A.  H.  Sayce, 
Mr.  Edward  Solly,  Mr.  William  J.  Thorns,  Mr.  W.  S.  W.  Vaux, 
and  Mr.  Henry  B.  Wheatley,  be  elected  Members  of  tlie 
Council  for  the  ensuing  year." 

It  was  moved,  seconded,  and  resolved,  "  That  Mr.  John 
Tolhurst  and  Mr.  G.  L.  Apperson  be  the  Auditors  of  the 
Society  for  the  ensuing  year." 


ANNUAL  MEETING,  1884.  393 

It  was  moved,  seconded,  and  resolved  unanimously,  "  That 
the  thanks  of  the  Society  be  given  to  Mr.  W.  J.  Thorns  for  his 
services  as  Director." 

It  was  proposed  by  Professor  Sayce,  seconded,  and  carried 
unanimously,  "  That  this  Meeting  desires  to  express  its  best 
thanks  to  Earl  Beauchamp  for  his  kind  and  valuable  services  as 
President  of  the  Society." 


1884-1885. 


PEESIDENT. 

THE  RIGHT  HON.  EARL  BEAUCHAMP,  F.S.A. 

VICE-PRESIDENTS. 

A.  LANG,  M.A. 

W.  R.  S.  RALSTON,  M.A. 

EDWARD  B.  TYLOR,  LL.D.,  F.R.S. 


COUNCIL. 


EDWARD  BRABROOK,  F.S.A. 

JAMES  BRITTEN,  F.L.S. 

EDWARD  CLODD. 

SIR  W.  R.  DRAKE,  F.S.A- 

G.  L.  GOMME,  F.S.A. 

J.  T.  MICKLETHWAITE,  F.S.A. 


ALFRED  NUTT. 

PROFESSOR  A.  H.  SAYCE,  M.A. 
EDWARD  SOLLY,  F.R.S.,  F.S.A. 
WILLIAM  J.  THOMS,  F.S.A. 
W.  S.  W.  VAUX,  M.A. 
HENRY  B.  WHEATLEY,  F.S.A. 


DIEECTOE.— WILLIAM  J.  THOMS,  F.S.A. 

TEEASUEER.— SIR  WILLIAM  R.  DRAItE,  F.S.A. 

HONOEAET  SECEETAEIES. 

G.  L.  GOMME,  F.S.A.,  2,  Park  Villas,  Lonsdale  Road,  Barnes,  S.W. 

A.  GRANGER  HUTT,  F.S.A.,  8,  Oxford  Road,  Kilburn,  N.W. 

AUDITOES.— John  Tolhurst,  F.S.A.    G.  L.  Apperson. 

BANKEES. — Union  Bank  of  London,  Charing  Cross  Branch. 

FOLK-TALE  COMMITTEE.— Messrs.  Apperson,  Britten,  Blind,  Clodd,  Uartlaud, 
Nntt,  Lang,  Ralston,  Sonnenschein,  Wheatley,  Solly,  Wake,  Gomme. 


OFFICERS  AND  MEMBERS.  395 

MEMBERS.    (December,  1883.) 
Hon.  J.  Abercromby,  21,  Chapel  Street,  Belgrave  Square,  S.W. 
George  H.  Adshead,  Esq.,  Fern  Villas,  94,  Bolton  Road,  Pendleton. 
A.  Percy  Allsopp,  Esq.,  Hindlip  Hall,  Worcester. 
Dr.  Antonio  Machado  y  Alvarez,  Sevilla,  O'Donnell,  22. 
J.  A.  Anderson,  Esq.,  46,  Warwick  Gardens,  Kensington,  W. 
J.  B.  Andrews,  Esq.,  Villa  Pigauti,  Mentone. 
The  Society  of  Antiquaries,  Burlington  House,  W. 
George  L.  Apperson,  Esq.,  5,  Homefield  Road,  Wimbledon  (Auditor). 
Astor  Library,  New  York. 

Edward  I.  Aydon,  Esq.,  31,  Westgate  Road,  Newcastle-on-Tyne. 
James  Backhouse,  Esq.,  West  Bank,  York. 
Jonathan  E.  Backhouse,  Esq.,  Bank,  Darlington. 
J.  Davies  Barnett,  Esq.,  Port  Hope,  Ont.,  Canada. 
Thos.  Barwell,  Esq.,  The  Woodlands,  Kirby  Muxloe,  Leicester. 
M.  Rene  Basset,  22,  rue  Raudon,  Algiers. 
The  Earl  Beauchamp,  13,  Belgrave  Square,  S.W.  (President). 
Miss  Bell,  Borovere,  Alton,  Hants. 

Berlin  Royal  Library,  per  Asher  and  Co.,  13,  Bedford  Street,  Covent  Garden. 
William  Bethell,  Esq.,  Rise  Park,  Hull. 
T.  B.  Birchall,  Esq.,  7,  Park  Terrace,  Park  Lane,  Croydon. 
Birmingham  Library,  care  of  C.  E.  Scarse,  Esq.,  Union  Street,  Birmingham. 
Birmingham  Pree  Library,  Ratcliffe  Place,  Birmingham. 
William  George  Black,  Esq.,  1,  Alfred  Terrace,  Hillhead,  Glasgow. 
Dr.  Karl  Blind,  3,  Winchester  Road,  South  Hampstead,  N.W. 
The  Boston  Athenaeum,  Boston,  U.S.A.,  per  Messrs.  Triibner,  Ludgate  Hill,  E.C. 
Boston  Public  Library,  U.S.A..  per  Triibner  and  Co.,  Ludgate  Hill,  E  C. 
Charles  P.  Bowditch,  Esq.,  28,  State  Street,  Boston,  Mass.  U.S.A. 
H.  Courthope  Bowen,  Esq.,  M.A.,  3,  York  Street,  Portman  Square,  W. 
Dr.  D.  G.  Brinton,  Media,  Penna,  U.S.A. 
James  Britten,  Esq.,  F.L.S.,  18,  West  Square,  Southwark,  S.E. 
F.  A.  Brockhaus,  Esq.,  Leipzig. 
Henry  Thomas  Brown,  Esq.,  Chester. 

Dr.  Robert  Brown,  F.L.S.,  Fersley,  Rydal  Road,  Streatham,  S.W. 
M.  Loys  Brueyre,  134,  Boulevard  Haussmann,  Paris. 
Dr.  Brushfield,  The  Cliff,  Budleigh-Salterton,  Devonshire. 
E.  W.  Bulkeley,  Esq.,  Summerficld,  Didsbury,  Manchester. 
Miss  Burne,  Pyebirch,  Eccleshall,  Staffordshire. 
Burton-on- Trent  Institute,  Union  Street. 
Miss  R.  H.  Busk,  16,  Montague  Street,  Portman  Square,  W. 


396  OFFICERS  AND  MEMBERS. 

E.  Caddick,  Esq.,  Wellington  Road,  Edgbaston. 

The  Countess  of  Caledon,  Tottenhanger  Park,  St.  Albans. 

The  Right  Rev.  Bishop  Callaway,  Caffraria,  South  Africa 

Rev.  J.  L.  Carrick,  Spring  Hill,  Southampton. 

Rev.  J.  W.  Cartmell,  Christ's  College,  Cambridge. 

The  Countess  Martinengo  Cesaresco,  Palazzo  Martinengo,  Salo'  Lago  di  Garda, 

Italia. 
Cheltenham  Library,  Royal  Crescent,  James  T.  Pressley,  Esq.,  Librarian. 
Thomas  Chorlton,  Esq.,  32,  Brazennose  Street,  Manchester. 
Rev.  George  Christian,  Redgate,  Uppingham. 
Hyde  Clarke,  Esq.,  D.C.L.,  32,  St.  George's  Square,  S.W. 
Edward  Clodd,  Esq.,  Rosemount,  Tufnell  Park,  N. 
John  Collett,  Esq.,  12,  Fopstone  Road,  South  Kensington,  S.W. 
Harvey  T.  R.  Combe,  Esq.,  Oaklands,  Battle,  Sussex. 
Signor  Domenico  Comparetti,  Firenze,  Via  del  Maglio,  Italia. 
The  Library  of  Congress,  Washington,  U.S.  per  E.  G.  Allen,  Esq. 
Moncure  D.  Conway,  Esq.,  Inglewood,  Bedford  Park,  Chiswick. 
James  W.  Cook,  Esq.,  Wentworth  House,  Hollybush  Hill,  Snaresbrook,  Essex. 
Mrs.  Coote,  13,  Westgate  Terrace,  Redcliffe  Square,  S.W. 

F.  W.  Cosens,  Esq.,  F.S.A.,  7,  Melbury  Road,  Kensington,  W. 
R.  B.  Cragg,  Esq.,  Langbar  End,  Ingleton,  via  Camforth. 
W.  J.  Craig,  Esq.,  8,  Grenville  Street,  Brunswick  Square. 
John  W.  Crombie,  Esq.,  M.A.,  Balgownie  Lodge,  Aberdeen. 
James  Curtis,  Esq.,  12,  Old  Jewry  Chambers,  E.C. 

Mrs.  Damant,  Bedford  House,  Cowes,  Isle  of  Wight, 

Daniel  Daulby,  Esq.,  Biggleswade,  Beds. 

Sir  William  R.  Drake,  F.S.A.,  46,  Parliament  Street,  S.W.  (Treasurer). 

Dalrymple  Duncan,  Esq.,  211,  Hope  Street,  Glasgow. 

A.  W.  V.  Duncombe,  Esq.,  The  College  of  Vicars  Choral,  Hereford. 

Rev.  T.  F.  Thiselton  Dyer,  Beckland,  West  IJnd  Lane,  N.W. 

Charles  J.  Elton,  Esq.,  F.S.A.,  10,  Cranley  Place,  Onslow  Square,  S.W. 

Charles  W.  Empson,  Esq.,  3,  Cleveland  Gardens,  W. 

Viscount  Enfield,  34,  Wilton  Place,  S.W. 

John  Evans,  Esq.,  LL.D.,  F.R.S.,  V.P.S.  A.,  Nash  Mills,  Hemel  Hempstead,  Herts. 

Rev.  W.  Featherstonehaugh,  Edmondbyers  Rectory,  Blackhill,  Durham. 

John  George  Fenwick,  Esq.,  Moorlands,  Newcastle-on-Tyne. 

David  Fitzgerald,  Esq.,  3,  Porten  Road,  Hammersmith,  W. 

Augustus  W.  Franks,  Esq.,  M.A.,  F.R.S.,  F.S.A.,  British  Museum. 

Edwin  Freshfield,  Esq.,  F.S.A.,  5,  Bank  Buildings,  E.C. 

Rev.  H.  Friend,  Worksop,  Notts. 

Charles  W.  George,  Esq.,  24,  Aberdeen  Terrace,  Clifton,  Bristol. 


OFFICERS  AND  MEMBERS.  397 

Miss  Gibb,  Lockwood,  Garteosh-by-Glasgow. 

Gilbert  and  Field,  18,  Gracechurch  Street,  E.G. 

The  Right  Hon.  W.  E.  Gladstone,  M.P.,  Whitehall,  S.W. 

Glasgow  University  Library,  per  Messrs.  MacLehose,  61,  St.  Vincent  St.,  Glasgow. 

F.  W.  Goddard,  Esq.,  Metropolitan  Board  of  Works,  Spring  Gardens,  S.W. 

G.  L.  Gomme,  Esq.,  F.S.A.,  2,  Park  Villas,  Lonsdale  Road,  Barnes,  S.W.  (Hon. 

Secretary). 
Hellier  Gosselin,  Esq.,  Blakesware,  Ware,  Herts. 
The  University  Library,  Gottingen,  per  Asher  and  Co. 
Rev.  Walter  Gregor,  Pitsligo,  Fraserburgh,  Aberdeenshire. 
Mrs  Grindlay,  26,  Royal  Circus,  Edinburgh. 

J.  Wyllie  Guild,  Esq.,  F.S.A.  Scot.,  65,  St.  Vincent  Street,  Glasgow. 
Arthur  Gunn,  Esq.,  31,  Gloucester  Road,  Regent's  Park. 
Mrs.  Gutch,  Holgate  Lodge,  York. 

James  E.  A.  Gwynne,  Esq.,  F.S.A.,  97,  Harley  Street,  W. 
Edward  Hailstone,  Esq.,  F.S.A.,  Walton  Hall,  Wakefield. 
James  Hardy,  Esq.,  Oldcambus,  Cockburnspath,  N.B. 
Miss  Harrison,  80,  Gower  Street,  W.C. 

Professor  J.  M.  Hart,  Cincinnati,  per  B.  F.  Stevens,  Esq.,  4,  Trafalgar  Square. 
E.  Sidney  Hartland,  Esq.,  Beresford  House,  Swansea. 
Harvard  College  Library,  per  Triibner  and  Co.,  Ludgate  Hill,  E.C. 
William  Henderson,  Esq.,  Dunholme,  The  Park,  Cheltenham. 
J.  Newby  Hetherington,  Esq.,  62,  Barley  Street,  W. 
John  Hodgkin,  Esq.,  9,  Dynevor  Gardens,  Richmond,  S.W. 
E.  D.  Hodgson,  Esq.,  3,  Temple  Gardens,  E.C. 
Robert  Holland,  Esq.,  Mill  Bank,  Frodsham,  Cheshire. 
Robert  Charles  Hope,  Esq.,  F.S.A.,  Albion  Crescent,  Scarboro'. 
Miss  Hoppus,  11,  Maitland  Park  Villas,  Haverstock  Hill,  N.W. 
David  Howard,  Esq.,  Rectory  Manor,  Walthamstow,  E. 
Hull  Subscription  Library. 

E.  Hutchings,  Esq.,  Carlton  Buildings,  17,  Cooper  Street,  Manchester. 
A.  Granger  Hutt,  Esq.,  F.S.A.,  8,  Oxford  Road,Kilbum,  N.W.  (Hon.  Secretary). 
Rev.  Francis  W.  Jackson,  Botton  Percy,  Tadcaster. 
Joseph  J.  Jenkins,  Esq.,  67,  Hamilton  Terrace,  N.W. 
The  Johns  Hopkins  University,  Baltimore,  U.S.,  per  E.  G.  Allen,  Esq. 
John  Joseph  Jones,  Esq.,  Abberly  Hall,  Stourport. 

William  Kelly,  Esq.,  F.S.A.,  Ivy  Lodge,  Alexandra  Road,  Stoneygate,  Leicester. 
G.  H.  Kinahan,  Esq.,  M.R.I.  A.,  Lurgyback,  Letterkenny,  Ireland. 
Mrs.  Henry  Kingsley,  10,  Ridgway  Place,  Wimbledon,  Surrey. 
Herr  Klincksieck,  Paris,  per  Longmans  &  Co.,  Paternoster  Row,  E.C. 
Rev.  J.  Ilinton  Knowles,  Srinagar,  Kashmir. 


398  OFFICERS  A14D  MEMBERS. 

Dr.  Reinhold  Kohler,  Weimar. 

Kev.  W.  S.  Lach-Szyrma,  M.A.,  St.  Peter's  Vicarage,  Newlyn,  Penzance. 

Alexander  Laing,  Esq.,  LL.D.,  Newburgh-on-Tay,  Scotland. 

A.  Lang,  Esq.,  M.A.,  1,  Marloes  Road,  Kensington. 

James  Lawson,  Esq.,  Mission  House,  Oldbury,  near  Birmingham. 

Rev.  W.  E.  Layton,  Cranboume,  Westerfield  Road,  Ipswich. 

Henry  C.  Lea,  Esq.,  706,  Sansom  Street,  Philadelphia. 

F.  de  M.  Leathes,  Esq.,  17,  Tavistock  Place,  W.C. 

Victor  Lewis,  Esq.,  35,  Sinclair  Road,  W. 

J.  H.  Stewart  Lockhart,  Esq.,  Assistant  Colonial  Secretary,  Hong  Kong. 

The  London  Institution,  Finsbury  Circus. 

The  London  Library,  St.  James'  Square,  S.W. 

Rev.  J.  Long,  19,  Adam  Street,  W.C. 

Sampson  Low  &  Co.,  Crovni  Buildings,  Fleet  Street,  E.G. 

Sir  John  Lubbock,  Bart.,  M.P.,  F.R.S.,  High  Elms,  Beckenham,  Kent. 

Alex.  MacBain,  Esq.,  M.A.,  Rainings  School,  Inverness. 

Edgar  MacCulloch,  Esq.,  F.S.A.,  Guernsey. 

Alex.  Mackay,  Esq.,  Trowbridge,  Wilts. 

Dr.  Mackinlay,  6,  Great  Western  Terrace,  Kelvinside,  Glasgow. 

Surgeon-General  Mackinnon,  6,  Whitehall  Yard,  S.W. 

R.  Craig  Maclagan,  Esq.,  5,  Coates  Crescent,  Edinburgh. 

Alexander  Macmillan,  Esq.,  F.S.A.,  Bedford  Street,  Covent  Garden,  W.C. 

John  Mac  Nair,  33,  Moray  Place,  Edinburgh. 

Capt.  Alex.  MacNeil,  3,  Whitehall  Gardens,  S.W. 

Sir  Henry  Sumner  Maine,  K.C.S.L,  LL.D.,  F.R.S.,  27,  Cornwall  Gardens. 

Manchester  Free  Library,  King  Street,  Manchester. 

E.  Marston,  Esq.,  Crown  Buildings,  Fleet  Street. 

Mrs.  E.  B.  Mawr,  5,  Strada  Fortuna,  Caimata,  Bucharest,  Roumania. 

The  Mercantile  Library,  Philadelphia,  U.S.  per  E.  G.  Allen,  Esq. 

J.  T.  Micklethwaite,  Esq.,  F.S.A.,  15,  Dean's  Yard,  Westminster. 

Middlesbrough  Free  Library. 

J.  Middleton,  Esq.,  Westholme,  Cheltenham. 

The  Mitchell  Library,  Glasgow. 

Miss  Monteiro,  7,  Hill  Road,  N.W. 

Howard  W.  Moore.  Esq.,  Junior  Reform  Club,  Tempest  Hey,  Liverpool. 

James  Earl  Moreton,  Esq.,  F.R.C.S.,  Tarvin,  near  Chester. 

Rev.  R.  Morris,  LL.D.,  Lordship  Lodge,  Wood  Green,  N. 

Munich  Royal  Library,  per  Asher  and  Co. 

James  Napier,  Esq.,  Maryfield,  Bothwell. 

The  Lady  Caroline  Nevill,  Mailing  House,  Maidstone. 

The  Newcastle  Literary  and  Philosophical  Society,  Newcastle-on-Tyne. 


€ 


OFFICERS  AND  MEMBERS.  399 

Robert  Cradock  Nichols,  Esq.,  F.S.A.,  5,  Sussex  Place,  Hyde  Park. 

James  Nicholson,  Esq.,  Thornton,  Berwick-upon-Tweed. 

Nottingham  Public  Library. 

Alfred  Nutt,  Esq.,  Rosendale  Hall,  Dulwich. 

W.  Oakley,  Esq.,  Newhall,  Derbyshire. 

Cornelius  Paine,  Esq.,  9,  Lewes  Crescent,  Kemp  Town,  Brighton. 

His  Excellency  W.  G.  Palgrave,  per  Messrs.  Macmillan  &  Co.,  Bedford  Street, 

Covent  Garden,  "W.C. 
M.  Gaston  Paris,  Membre  de  I'lnstitut,  11,  Rue  de  Verenne,  Paris. 
Rev.  "W.  D.  Parish,  The  Vicarage,  Selmeston,  Lewes. 
W.  Payne,  Esq.,  Hatchlands,  Cuckfield,  Sussex. 
The  Peabody  Institute,  Baltimore,  U.S.,  per  E.  G.  Allen,  Esq. 
Edward  Peacock,  Esq.,  F.S.A.,  Bottesford  Manor,  Brigg,  Lincolnshire. 
The  Library  Company  of  Philadelphia,  U.S.A.,  per  E.  G.  Allen,  Esq. 
Plymouth  Institution  and  Devon  and  Cornwall  Nat.  Hist.  Society. 
D'Arcy  Power,  Esq.,  M.A.,  M.B.,  2G,  Bloomsbury  Square,  W.C. 
The  Earl  of  Powis,  45,  Berkeley  Square,  W. 
Mrs.  Priestley,  17,  Hertford  Street,  Mayfair,  W. 
W.  R.  S.  Ralston,  Esq.,  M.A.,  8,  Alfred  Place,  Bedford  Square,  W.C. 
W.  Napier  Reeve,  Esq.,  F.S.A.,  Leicester. 

J.  H.  Rivett-Carnac,  Esq.,  CLE.,  F.S.A.,  M.R.A.S.,  F.G.S.,  Ghazipur.  India. 
Henry  Ross,  Esq.,  F.S.A.,  Chestham  Park,  Henfield,  Sussex. 
Rev.  W.  Gunion  Rutherford,  19,  Dean's  Yard,  S.W. 
Miss  Sandars,  Lower  Loughton,  Northop,  Flintshire. 
Thomas  Satchell,  Esq.,  Downshire  Hill  House,  Hampstead. 
J.  Ebenezer  Saunders,  Esq.,  F.S.A.,  F.L.S.,  9,  Finsbury  Circus,  E.C. 
Frederick  E.  Sawyer,  Esq.,  55,  Buckingham  Place,  Brighton. 
Rev.  A.  H.  Sayce,  Queen's  College,  Oxford. 
Mrs.  Sharpe,  11,  Victoria  Road,  Kensington,  W. 
Rev.  J.  Sibree,  jr.,  York  Villa,  Westhall  Road,  Lordship  Lane,  S.E. 
George  Smith,  Esq.,  F.S.A.,  62,  Hamilton  Terrace,  St.  John's  Wood,  N.W. 
Mrs,  Sidney  Smith,  7,  The  Terrace,  Barnes,  S.W. 
Edward  Solly,  Esq.,  F.R.S.,  F.S.A,,  Camden  House,  Sutton,  Surrey. 
William  Swan  Sonnenschein,  Esq.,  6,  White  Hart  Street,  Paternoster  Row,  E.C. 
Professor  Dr.  George  Stephens,  F.S.A.,  Copenhagen. 

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INDEX. 


Abercromby  (Hon.  J.):  Irish  bird-lore, 
65-67 ;  Irish  stories  and  charms, 
33-39  ;  Mr.  Nutt's  paper  on  Irish 
mythology,  317 

Aberdeenshire  farming  customs,  329- 
332;  fishermen's  folk-lore,  353-357; 
folk-tales,  68-74,  277-278 

Adder's  tongue  in  Drayton's  plant- 
lore,  147 

Agricultural  charms,  105  ;  folk-lore, 
329-332 

Agrimony  in  Drayton's  plant-lore,  148 

All  Hallow  Een,  23 

Alnwick,  football  at,  123 

American  songs  and  games,  243-248; 
superstitions,  23-24 

Ancestor,  soul  of,  in  butterfly  (Ireland), 
213 

Ancestors,  invoking  of,  folk-tale  inci- 
dent (Malagasy),  130, 131,  134,  135 

Animal,  bronze  figure  of,  used  as 
charm,  253  ;  folk-lore  in  Drayton, 
229-235;  flesh  used  in  folk-medicine, 
98;  heroes  in  folk-tales,  79-81,  166- 
168 

Animals,  man  in  the  form  of,  364 

Apperson  (G.  L.) :  Tabulation  of  folk- 
tales, 152-154,  183-186,  216-217 

Apple-throwing  custom,  221 

Arab  folk-lore,  187 

Arthur  legend  in  Drayton,  113 

Aubrey  (John):  Hearne's  opinion  of, 
254 

Aunt  Sally  game,  85 

Australian  Aborigines,  customs  of, 
220-221 

Baker,  trade  legend  about,  322-326 
Ball,  game  of  (Ireland),  264,  319 
Ballads,  early  mention  of,  157 
Barnacle  goose,  Drayton's  conception 

of,  271 
Barrow  called  fairy  mound,  261 
Bathing  customs  and  ideas,  356 


Battle  traditions,  150,  159,  187 
Bees,  rhyming  proverb  on,  279 
Bell     legend,     20-22 ;      superstition 

(America),  24 
Bent  (J.  Theodore)  :  Modern  Greek 

games,  57-59 
Berks,  Shrove  Tuesday  custom  in,  222 
Bevis    of     Southampton,    legend    in 

Drayton,  113 
Bible,  kissing  the,  in  oath-taking,  63 
Bible  and  key  divination,  156,  380-381 
Bibliography  of  folk-lore,  197-206 
Bird  legend  (India),  302-306 
Bird-lore,    65-67,   156.  232-235,  258, 

266-272,  274-276 
Birds,    impounding    wild,     folk-tale, 

19-20;  see  "  Blackbirds  " 
Birth,  customs  at  (Connemara),  257  ; 

Jewish,   187  ;    farming  notions   at 

times  of,  331 ;  superstition  connected 

with,    25-26,  378 ;    from    mother's 

side,  folk-tale  incident,  50 
Black  (W.  G.):  Confirmation  folk-lore, 

348  ;    St.  John's   Eve   in   Norway, 

348-349  ;    holy  wells    in    Scotland, 

173-175  ;   Lilias-day  at  Kilbarchan, 

381  ;    Turcoman    folk-lore,   43-45  ; 

revival  of  witchcraft  in  Ross-shire, 

288 
Blackberries  blighted  by  the  phoca,  26 
Blackbirds,  unpopularity  of,  120 
Blacksmiths'  lore,  321-8  ;    custom  on 

shoeing  horse  (Scotland),  109 
Blade-bone,  divination  by  the,  367-369 
Blood,   custom  of  shedding   on  New 

Year's    day,    332 ;     drawing    from 

witch,  349-350 
Boat  keel,  copper  coin  nailed  to,  351 
Boroughbridge,    tradition     of     battle 

there,  150 
Bridal  flowers,  144-145 
Bride  capture  (Ireland),  212 
Bridget  (St.),  worship  of  in  Ireland 

139,  211-213 


2  D 


402 


INDEX. 


Brigdj,  monster  so-called  by  sailors, 

351 
Britten  (James):  Some  cnstoms  of  the 
aborigines  of  the  Albert  district  of 
New  South  Wales,  220-221 ;  change- 
lings in  Ireland,  91 ;  Irish  folk-tales, 
193-197  ;  on  why  the  cliffs  of  Eng- 
land are  white,  23 

Brown  (Robert) :  Bible  and  key  dirina- 
tion,  156 ;  magpie  as  a  cure  for 
epilepsy,  156 

Buchheim  (C.  A.):  Legend  of  slain 
warriors,  159, 187;  the  rejuvenating 
elixir,  156 

Buchheim  (Emma  S.):  Pied  piper  of 
Haraelin,  206-209 

Bucks,  local  proverb,  221 

Bumby  (Mother),  a  cunning  woman, 
357 

Burial-custom,  gipsy,  222 ;  customs 
(Greek),  168-171 ;  customs  (Ireland), 
212  ;  not  permitted  in  St.  Flannings 
church,  261  ;  superstition,  350 

Burmese  ordeals,  89-90 

Bume  (Charlotte  S.):  Threading  the 
needle  at  Ripon  cathedral,  253,  286 ; 
two  folk-tales  told  by  a  Hereford- 
shire squire,  20-23 ;  variant  of  the 
three  noodles,  40-43 

Butcher,  trade  legend  about,  322-326 

Butter,  charm  for,  34 

Butterfly,  residence  of  soul  in,  213 

Cake,  broken  over  bride*8  head,  144 

Cakes,  funeral  (Greek),  170 

Camels'-hair  charm,  45 

Candle,  burning  of,  omen,  25 

Candlemas-day  custom  at  the  Temple, 
317 

Candles,  ordeal  by,  89 

Carpenter,  trade  legend  about,  322-326 

Cat,  game  of  (Ireland),  264 

Cat,  used  for  raising  the  wind,  260  ; 
omens  from  killing  of,  379 ;  fisher- 
omens,  379 

Cats,  folk-lore  of,  230 

Cats,  king  of  the,  folk-tale,  22-23 

Cattle  affected  by  witchcraft,  288; 
driven  round  fires,  140 

Celts,  stone,  superstitions  concerning, 
260 

Changeling,  fairy,  91, 190,  257 

Chaplets,  plants  for,  143 

Charms,  158  ;  Cornwall,  31  ;  Hunga- 
rian, 104;  Irish,  33-34;  Roumanian, 
94,  219;  Turcoman,  43 

Chelsea,  May  Queen,  191 

Chester-le-Street,  football  at,  124 


Chickweed  in  Drayton's  plant-lore,  148 
Child  life,  notes  of,  244-245 
Chinese  superstitions,  318 
Chio,  superstition  at,  222 
Christmas-day  proverb,  279 
Christmas-eve  household  custom,  331 
Christmas  play  in  Sussex,  1-8 
Churning  superstitions,  259 
Cinderella  incident  in  Greek  folk-tale, 

238 
Clan,  totemism  relic  of  (Ireland),  259 
Clem  of  the  Clough  legend  in  Drayton, 

114 
Clement  (St.),  the  blacksmiths'  patron, 

323-326 
aiffs,  white,  of  England,  23 
Clodd  (Edward):  Philosophy  of  Punch- 
kin,  289-303 
Clothes,  omens  from  (America),  24 
Clouston  (W.  A.)  :  Book  of  Sindihad 

reviewed,  351-352 
Cockatrice,  Drayton's  conception  of, 

269 
Coelho  (F.  A.),  Jogog  e  Mimas  re- 
viewed, 320 
Collection  of  folk-lore,  289-290 
Colour  in  folk-lore  (Arab),  187 
Columbkill  (St.),  tradition  of,  140-141 
Common,  game  so  called,  139-140 
Conder  (Captain    C.   R.):   Beth  and 

Moah  quoted,  187 
Confinnation  folk-lore,  348 
Connemara  folk-lore,  257-266 
Convulsions  caused  by  evil  spirits,  97 
Coote  (H.  C.)  :  Children's   games   in 
Sicily,  82-88  ;  folk-lore  in  modem 
Greece,  235-243 
Copper  coin  nailed  to  boat-keel,  351 
Corea,  superstition  in,  214 
Com,  custom  with,  23 
Cornwall,  charms  for   toothache,  94  ; 
folk-lore,    lectures    on,    31  ;    "Jan 
Dark"    in,    381;    folk-tale    from, 
19-20 
Costume  of  mummers,  2 
Countings  out,  190 

Courtney  (M.A.)  :  Jan  Dark,  380-381 
Couvade  in  Yorkshire,  121 
Cow,  bewitching  of,  379  ;  legend  of  a 

fairy,  262  ;  omen  from,  24 
Cradle,  rocking  empty  (America),  24 
Cretans,  beliefs  of  the,  237 
Cricket,  superstition  concerning  (Ire- 
land), 261 
Cricket,  Greek  game  resembling,  59 
Crombie  (J.  W.)  :    A    curious    sui^er- 
stition,  172-173  ;  tabulation  of  folk- 
tales, 155,  214-215,  249-252,  281-284 


INDEX. 


4o: 


Crooky,  game  of  (Ireland),  265 
Cross-road    superstitions,  regard    for, 

101 
Crow  pound,  enclosure  so  called,  19-20 
Crows,  rhyming  proverb  on,  280 
Crystal,  folk-lore  of,  228 
Cuckoo,  superstition  concerning,  258 
Cypress  tree  in  folk-lore,  144 

D'Arbois  du    Jubainville,  Lc   cercle 
mythologique  Irlandau,  critique  of, 
175-182 
Death,  playing    at,  among  children, 

247 
Denbighshire,    divination    by    blade- 
bone  in,  368 
Dew  on  May  morning,  191 
Dictam  in  Drayton's  plant-lore,  148 
Dill  in  Drayton's  plant-lore,  147 
Divination  by  Bible  and  key,  156  ;  by 

blade-bone,  367-369 
Divining-rod,  350 
Doctors  in  folk-medicine,  99 
Dodder  in  Drayton's  plant-lore,  148 
Dog,  flesh  of  used  in  folk-medicine,  98 
Dog,  omen  from  (America) ,  24 
Donegal,  hare  superstition  in,  25-26  ; 
May-eve  custom,  90 ;  red  hair  in,  63 
Dorsetshire  folk-medicine,  253 ;  witch- 
craft in,  349 
Dove,  folk-lore  of,  274 
Dragon,    Chinese  superstition  about, 

318 ;  Drayton's  conception  of,  269 
Drayton,  folk-lore  of,  111-120, 142-151, 

224-235,  266-267,  357-369 
Dream  prognostication,  90  ;  supersti- 
tion in   Staffordshire,  350 ;    inter- 
pretation of,  by  savage  mind,  302 
Dress,  bridal,  omens  and  superstitions 
about, 353, 354  ;  stolen  from  bathing 
maidens,  folk-tale  incident,  12 
Duck-stone,  game  of  (Ireland),  265 
Duns,  Fasten  E'en  ball  at,  122 
Durham,  folk-lore  notes  from,  120, 158- 

159,  189-190 
Dwarf es  money,  Roman  coins  so  called, 
287 


Easter  Sunday  custom,  221 

Edmonds  (E.  M.):  Greek  folk-lore, 
168-172 

Eggs,  game  with,  85 

Elixir,  rejuvenating,  156 

Epilepsy,  cure  for,  by  magpies,  156  ; 
in  Sicily,  254 

Epitaphs,  omen  from  reading  (Ame- 
rica), 24 


Evil  eye  beliefs  (Greek),  171  ;  cure 
for,  379  ;  spittal  used  to  avert,  219  ; 
(Syrian),  187 

Eye,  bad,  charm  for,  31 

Eyebright  in  Drayton's  plant-lore,  146 

Eye-brows,  meeting,  power  of,  102 

Fairies,  beliefs  (Ireland),  213,  262; 
changelings,  91, 190,  257  ;  in  Dray- 
ton,116;  implements,  260;  in  Ireland, 
140 

Fairy  mound,  barrow  so  called,  261 

Farming  customs  (Aberdeenshire),  329- 
332 

Fasten  E'en  ball,  122 

Feast  on  St.  Clement's  day,  327-328 

Fenton  (John)  :  Folk -tales,  93 

Fenwick  (J.  G.) :  Notes  from  Wear- 
dale,  Durham,  120, 158-159, 189-190; 
witchcraft  in  Scotland,  219 

Festival  offering  to  gods,  219 

Festival  plays,  1-8 

Fife,  proverbial  rhymes  in,  91 

Fionn  and  Oisin  in  Irish  mythology,  317 

Fire,  charms  placed  in  the,  104  ;  child 
jumping  into,  folk- tale  incident,  50; 
not  to  be  taken  from  house  during 
churning,  257;  carried  round  corn- 
fields, 23;  not  to  be  taken  out  of  the 
house  at  childbirth,  257;  supersti- 
tion, 34,  380 

Fires  on  May  eve,  90  ;  on  St.  John's- 
eve,  348-349  ;  on  Midsummer-eve, 
140,  212,  213 

Fish,  superstitions  connected  with,  380 

Fishermen's  folk-lore  (Aberdeenshire), 
259,  353-357 

Flax  in  folk-lore,  287 ;  highland  cus- 
tom of  walking  on,  254 

Flower-lore  in  Drayton,  116-120 

Flower-superstition,  90 

Folk-lore  terminology,  285-286,  311- 
316,  340-348 

Folk-tales  (Greek),  237 

Football  at  Alnwick,  123  ;  Chester-le- 
Street,  124  ;  at  Sedgefield,  124 

Forgetfulness  by  charm,  folk-tale  in- 
cident, 16 

Foula,  superstitions  in,  378-380 

Foundation  of  villages,  &c.  China,  318 

Fowl,  flesh  of,  used  in  folk-medicine,  98 

Fox,  fishermen's  dislike  for,  259 

Fox  and  geese,  game  of,  158 

France,  witchcraft  in,  255 

Frenzy,  cure  of,  101 

Friend  (Hilderic):  Flax  in  folk-lore, 
287  ;  May-poles,  317-318  ;  Flowers 
and  Flower-lore,  review  of,  126 


404 


INDEX. 


Frogs,  notion  concerning,  120 
Fumitory  in  Drayton's  plant-lore,  146 
Funeral    customs    (Greek),    168-171  ; 
superstitions,  380 

Games  (American),  243-248  ;  charms 
used  during  children's,  105  :  of  pins 
(Cornwall),  32;  Durham,  168;  modem 
Greek,  57-59;  ancient  Irish,  264- 
266 ;  on  1st  August,  139  ;  purling, 
139-140;  children's,  in  Sicily,  82-88  ; 
of  ball  on  Fasten  E'en,  122 

Garlic  Sunday,  211 

Geese  turn  into  maidens,  12 

Geldart  (Rev.  E.  M.):  Folk-lore  of 
Modern  Greece  reviewed,  223 

Gems,  folk-lore  of,  224 

George  (St.),  character  in  tipteerers' 
play,  7 

Ghost,  laying  a,  253 

Giants,  legends  of,  262-264,  287 

Gipsy  burial  custom,  222 

Gomme  (Alice  B.):  Heame's  opinion  of 
John  Aubrey,  254 ;  jottings  from 
Bliss's  Reliquiie  Hearnianse,  221- 
222  ;  notes  from  Leland's  Itinerary, 
287 

Gomme  (G.L.):  Bibliography  of  folk- 
lore publications  in  English,  197-206; 
folk-lore  terminology,  285-286,  316, 
348,  382 ;  Gentleman's  Magazine 
Library  reviewed,  27-28  ;  round 
about  our  coal  fire,  317 

Goodwin  Sands,  legend  of,  149 

Goose,  cramp-bone  of,  used  as  charm, 
158 

Grass  (five-leaved)  in  Drayton's  plant- 
lore,  148    . 

Grave,  mould  taken  from,  used  as  cure 
for  stitch,  379 

Great  Marlow,  local  proverb  on,  221 

Greek  folk-lore,  28,  168-172,  235-243 

Gregor  (Rev.  W.):  Some  old  farming 
customs  and  notions  in  Aberdeen- 
shire, 329-332 ;  fishermen's  folk- 
lore, 353-357 ;  a  folk-tale  from  Aber- 
deenshire, 277-278  ;  three  folk-tales 
from  Old  Meldrum,  Aberdeenshire, 
68-74 ;  hippie  folk-lore  from  the 
north-east  of  Scotland,  106-109  ;  un- 
spoken nettles,  377-378  ;  Scottish 
folk-tale,  319 

Griechischen  und  Riimischen  Mytho^ 
logic,  Lexicon  der,  review  of,  126- 
126 

Gurton  (Gammer),  mentioned  by  Dray- 
ton, 364 

Guy  of  Warwick  legend  in  Drayton,  113 


Halcyon,  Drayton's  conception  of,  233- 
235 

Hamelin,  pied  piper  of,  206-209 

Hampshire  Christmas  mystery,  7 

Hand  of  might  superstition  (Jewish), 
187 

Handy  Dandy,  game  of,  84 

Hare  folk-lore,  25-26 

Hares,  omens  from,  258,  260 

Hart  in  folk-medicine,  273 

Hart's  tongue  in  Drayton's  plant-lore, 
148 

Hartland  (E.  Sydney):  Folk-lore  termi- 
nology, 340-344 

Hastings,  mumming  in,  1 ;  tradition  of 
battle  there,  150 

Heads  and  tails  game,  84 

Heame's  Diaries,  notes  from,  221 

Hearth  superstition,  34 

Heather  (white),  highland  custom  of 
plucking,  254 

Hebrew  folk-lore  items,  187 

Hellebore  in  Drayton's  plant-lore,  148 

Hemlock  in  Drayton's  plant-lore,  147 

Henbane  in  Drayton's  plant- lore,  147 

Hen  (crowing),  omen  from  (America), 
24 

Herefordshire  folk-tales,  20-23 

Hill  legends  (Ireland),  262 

Hill  or  mountain  spirits  in  Corea,  214 

Hills,  superstitions  about,  171 

Hindostani  proverbs,  26 

Hope(R.C.):  Some  Derbyshire  proverbs 
and  sayings,  278-280 

Horehound  in  Drayton's  plant-lore,  148 

Horse  folk-lore  in  Scotland,  106-109; 
customs  at  foaling-time,  331  ;  omen 
from  seeing,  354  ;  proverbs  on  the, 
64;  water-  (Irish),  61-62;  shoe  charm 
(Hungarian),  104 ;  shoe  charm  (Tur- 
coman), 43 ;  whitefooted,  26 

Hot  cockles  game,  84 

House  customs  at  Christmas,  332  ;  con-' 
nected  with  ploughing  customs,  329- 
330;  occupying  new  one  (America), 
24 ;  omens,  66 

"  House  that  Jack  built "  (Malagasy), 
136-138 

Houses,  decorated  with  flowers,  90; 
(Lammas)  erected  in  Wales,  349 

Hungarian  folk-medicine,  97-105 

Huntingdonshire,  witchcraft  in,  122 

Hurling  game  in  Ireland,  139,  140, 
265 

Image,  clay,  use  of  in  witchcraft,  121, 

220 
Impounding  wild  birds,  folk-tale,  19-20 


INDEX. 


405 


Incantation  in  folk-medicine,  103 
India,  folk-tales  of,  304-310,  332-340, 

370-377 
Influenza,  cure  for,  in  folk-medicine, 

104 
Invei-ness,  witchcraft  at,  121 
Ireland,  blackberries  in,  26  ;  change- 
lings in,  91, 190  ;  hare  superstition 
in,  25-26 ;  legend  of  St.  Patrick  and 
the    devil,    157  ;    bird-lore,    65-67  ; 
folk-lore,  138-142,  210-213,  257-266; 
folk-tales,  193-197  ;  games  of  ball, 
319  ;   legend,  60-61  ;   May-eve  cus- 
toms,   90 ;      mythology,     criticisms 
upon,    175-182,    317  ;    stories    and 
charms,  33-39 
Iron,  evil  cannot  pass,  380 
Isle  of  Wight  custom,  25 
Isumbras  legend  in  Drayton,  113 
Italy,  Folk-lore  Society  in,  192 

Jack  stone,  game  of  (Ireland),  266 

James  II.  touching  for  king's  evil  by, 
150 

Jan  Dark,  a  Cornish  goblin,  381 

Jdtaka  Book,  folk-tales  from,  304-310, 
332-340,  370-377 

Jaundice,  cure  for,  380 

Jenny  Jones,  game  of,  247 

Jewish  folk-lore  items,  187;  sleeping 
north  and  south,  93 

Johnny  Jack,  character  in  tipteerers' 
play,  7 

Jones  (Rev.  W.  H,):  Sz6kely  Folk- 
Medicine,  97-105 

July  flower  in  Drayton,  118 

Kentsham  Bell,  folk-tale,  20-22 

Kinahan  (G.  H.) :  St.  Patrick  and  the 
devil,  157  ;  Connemara  folk-lore, 
257-266;  on  Irish  water-horse,  61-62; 
Donegal  Reds,  63;  May  Eve  cus- 
toms, 90 

King  of  the  cats,  folk-tale,  22  23 

King's  evil,  touching  for  by  James  II. 
150 

Knockmaun,  legend  of,  60-61 

Knutsford,  May  Queen,  191 

Krebs  (H.):  German  folk-lore  expres- 
sion, 94 

Laing(Alex.):  Proverbial  rhymes  from 

the  north  of  Fife,  91 
Lammas-day  customs  (Wales),  349 
Lanarkshire,  white-footed  horses  in,  26 
Lancashire  name  for  wakes,  25 
Lang  (A.):  Custom  and  Myth  reviewed, 

382-383 


Lark,  portent  from,  at  Agincourt,  276 

Lavender,  flower-lore,  117 

Lead-casting  in  folk-medicine,  101 

Legal  customs,  317 

Legend  of  Knockmaun,  60-61 

Leite  de  Vasconcellos  (J.):  Tradigoes 
populares  de  Pomigal  reviewed, 
63-64 

Lilias-day  at  Kilbarchan,  381 

Lincolnshire,  divination  by  bladebone 
in,  369 

Lizard,  superstition  concerning  (Ire- 
land), 261 

Local  proverb,  221 

Love  potions,  361 

Lucky  days  (Syrian),  187 

Machado  y  Alvarez  (A) :  Bihlioteca  de 
lasTradiciones  Popular  es  Espanolas 
reviewed,  320 
Madness  in  folk-medicine,  97 
Magpie,  superstitions  concerning,  258 
Magpies  as  a  cure  fcr  epilepsy,  156 
Malagasy  folk-tales,  45-57,  75-81,  129- 
138,  161-168;    classical  variant  of, 
109-110,  157 
Mallow  in  Drayton's  plant-lore,  148 
Mandrake  in  Drayton's  plant-lore,  148; 

use  of,  in  love  potions,  361 
Manes,  offerings  to  the,  371 
Mantica  (N.):  Raccolta  di  Proverhi  e 

Bittati  ijjpici  reviewed,  63 
Marriage    customs  of    Aberdeenshire 
fisher-folk,  353-354;    Ireland,  212, 
213;  (Syrian),  187;  festival  offering, 
219 
Martinengo-Cesaresco  (Countess  Eve- 
lyn): American  songs  and    games, 
243-248  ;  the  wise  choice,  109-110 
Mason,  trade  legend  about,  322-326 
Mason  (W.  S.):  Statistical  Account 
of  Ireland,  folk-lore  from,  138-142, 
210-213 
Mawr  (E,   B.)  :  Roumanian  charms, 

94;  Roumanian  customs,  219 
May-day  customs,  31 
May  dew  at  Hawick,  191 
May-eve  customs,  Donegal,  90 
May  morning  custom  at  Oxford,  192 
May  Queen  at  Chelsea,  191;  Knutsford, 

191;  Shrewsbury,  191 
May,  29th,  in  Notts,  381-382 
May-pole    at    Bream,    191,  212,   317, 

318 
Measurements,  land,  210 
Medicine,  folk-,  156 ;  Dorsetshire,  253 ; 
Greek,  28, 236  ;  Irish,  33-34  ;  Sicily, 
254;  Turcoman,  44;  Szekely,  97-106 


406 


INDEX. 


Memory,  omen  as  to  loss  of  (America), 

24 
MSlusine  reviewed,  159 
Merlin  legend  in  Drayton,  1 13 
Michaelmas-day,  blackberries  not  eaten 

after,  26 
Midsummer-eve  fires,  140 
Midsummer  fires,  212.213 
Mineral  folk-lore  in  Drayton,  224-229 
Minerals,     milked    from     the    earth 

(India),  370 
Mining  spirits,  361 
Moly  in  Drayton's  plant-lore,  147 
Moon  in  folk-medicine,  100 ;  hare  in 
the,  Indian  folk-tale,  336-340  ;  sanc- 
tification  of  the  (Jewish),  187 
Morris,  (Rev.  Dr.  Kichard) :  Folk-tales 

of  India,  304-310,  332-340,  370-377 
Mountain  or  hill  spirits  in  Corea,  214 
Mouse,     omen     from     gnawing      by 

(America),  24 
Mugwort  in  Drayton  plant-lore,  148 
Mummers  play  (Sussex),  1-8 
Mundic  as  a  charm,  31 
Music  to  blacksmiths'  song,  324-325 
Myth,  meaning  of  the  word,  315 
Mythology    (comparative)    and    folk- 
lore, 313 
Mythology  of  Ireland,  175-182 

Nail  cutting  (Jewish),  187 

Nails,  omen  from  specks  on  (America), 

24 
Names,  maiden,  used  by  married  women, 

139 
Neot  (St.),  legend  of,  19-20 
Nettle,  oak  and,  day  (Notts),  381-382 
Nettles,  unspoken,  377-378 
New  South  Wales  aborigines,  customs 

of,  220-221 
New  Year  custom,  31 ;  farming  custom, 

331;  wassal  song,  26 
Newts  considered  poisonous,  147 
'Nointer,   or    'Nainter,  use    of  word, 

188-189 
Noodles,  three,  variant  of  the  story  of, 

J  0-43 
Northmoor  (Oxon),  custom  at,  221 
Norway,  St.  John's  eve  in,  348-349 
Nose-bleeding,  cure  for,  219 
Nottinghamshire,   May-poles  in,   317- 

318;  oak  and  nettle-day  in,  381-382 
Numbers,  magic,  379 
Nursery-rhymes,  Aberdeen,  59-60 
Nutt  (Alfred):  Folk-lore  terminology, 

311-315;  Irish  mythology  according 

to  a  recent  writer,  175-182 ;  legend 

of  slain  warriors,  187 


Oak  and  nettle  day  (Notts),  381-382 

Oaths  (Burmese),  90 

Obstacles  to  pursuit,  folk-tale  incident, 

(Malagasy)  131 
Offering  to  gods  at  festivals,  219 
Ogres,  Greek  belief  in,  237 
Omens,  American,  24 
Oranges  and  lemons,  game  of,  87 
Ordeal,  trial  by  (Arab),  187 
Ordeals,  Burmese,  89-90 
Ossian,  legend  of,  210-211 
Ossian  poems  in  Ireland,  141 
Otters,  superstition  concerning,  259 
Overlooking,  191 
Owl,  folk-lore  of,    268 ;    omen   from 

(America),  24 
Oxford,    May-day    anthem    at,    192 ; 

Shrove  Tuesday  custom,  221 
Oxfordshire     customs,     221  ;      word 

'Nointer,  188-189 


Pancake-bell  at  Oxford,  221 
Panjab  folk-lore,  32,  64, 160 
Panjah  Notes  and  Queries  reviewed, 

27 
Panther,  folk-lore  of,  229-232 
Patrick  (St.)  and  the  devil,  legend  of, 

157 
Peacock  (Edward):  Folk-medicine,  253; 
threading  the  needle  at  Ripon  cathe- 
dral, 286  ;    witchcraft  in  Hunting- 
donshire, 122 
Pembrokeshire,  divination  by  blade- 
bone  in,  367 
Pengelly  (Wm.):  Charm  for  toothache, 

94  ;  impounding  wild  birds,  19-20 
Philosophy  of  Punchkin,  289-303 
Phoenix,  folk-lore  of,  269-271 
Pied  piper  of  Hamelin,  206-209 
Pig,  Drayton's  conception   of,    273  ; 
excrement  of,  used  in  folk-medicine, 
98 
Pindar  of  Wakefield  legend,  113 
Pins,  game  with,  32 
Pinwell  customs,  349 
Plant-lore  in  Drayton,  116-120,   143- 

149 
Plants  used  in  folk-medicine,  98 
Ploughing-day  customs,  122,  329-330 
Polish  folk-tale,  1-18 
Polyphemus,  Homeric  story  of,  236 
Poppy  in  Drayton's  plant-lore,  147 
Portents  from  Drayton,  274-276 
Potions,  preparation  of,   by  witches, 

360-361 
Poulton    (Edward    B.):    'Nointer    or 
'Nainter,  188-189 


INDEX. 


407 


Power  (D'Arcy):  Sleeping  north  and 
south,  93  ;  a  universal  panacea,  157- 
158  ;  Warwickshire   folk-lore,   187- 
188 
Priestcraft  in  folk-medicine,  101 
Property,  huming  of,  at  gipsy-burial, 
222.;  disposal  of,  folk-tale  incident, 
76 
Proverbs,  local,  221  ;  merry  as  a  grig, 
222  ;  on  the  horse,  107-108  ;  Derby- 
shire,  278-280  ;    German,  94  ;    In- 
dian,  26;    Scottish,  9,   29,   59-60; 
Warwickshire,  188 
Punchkin,  philosophy  of,  289-303 
Pursuit,  obstacles  to,  folk-tale  incident, 
15  ;  Malagasy,  131 

Quinsy,  charm  for,  94 

Rain,  superstition,  220 

Rats,  Irish  notion  concerning,  259 

Raven,  cry  of,  an  omen,  25  ;  folk-lore 

of,  275  ;  omen  from,  65 
Red  preventive  against  enchantment, 

102 
Red  hair  of  Donegal  girls,  63 
Red  Sea,  laying  a  ghost  in,  253 
Rejuvenating  elixir,  156 
Rhyme  in  folk-tale,  18,  21 
Rhymes,  nursery  (Aberdeen),  59-60 
Rhyming  custom,  23 
Rhyming  formulae,  6, 26, 68,73,  74,91, 

189,  222,  327 
Ripon  cathedral,  threading  the  needle 

at,  253,  286 
River  legend,  141 ;  superstitions  (Greek), 

171 
Rivers,  traditional  origin  of,  151 
Robin,  folk-lore  of,  266-267 
Robin  Hood  legend  in  Drayton,  113, 

114 
Roe,  legend  of  the  (Ireland),  141 
Rollrich  stones,  legend  of  the,  151 
Roman  Catholic  folk-tales,  93 
Roman  coins  called  Dwarfes  money, 

287 
Rosemary  in  flower-lore,  117 
Ross-shire,  witchcraft  in,  288 
Roumanian  charms,  94;  customs,  219 
Round  (J.  H.):  On  All  Hallow  E'en 

custom,  23 
Russell  (Isabel):  Nursery  rhymes  and 

proverbs,  59-60 

Sacrifice,  relic  of,  in  Scotland,  332 
Sailors'  folk-lore,  259;  superstitions  in 

Shetland,  350-351 
St.  John's  eve  in  Norway,  348-349 


St.  John's  herb  in  Drayton  folk-lore, 
148 

St.  Stephen's  day  customs,  31 

Salamander,  Drayton's  notions  of,  269 

Sawyer  (Frederick  E.):  Old  Clem  cele- 
brations and  blacksmiths'-lore,  321- 
328;  laying  a  ghost,  253;  Scottish 
folk-lore,  253-254  ;  Sussex  "  tip- 
teerers' "  play,  1-8;  Syrian  and  Arab 
folk-lore,  187 

Scotland,  Fasten  E'en  ball  in,  122 ; 
folk-lore  of  the  horse,  106-109;  holy 
wells  in,  173-175;  witchcraft  in,  121, 
219,  288;  see  ^'  Lanarkshire  " 

Scottish  farming  customs,  329-332; 
fishermen's  folk-lore,  350-351,  353- 
357;  folk-tales,  68-74,  277-278;  su- 
perstition concerning  suicide,  121; 
proverbs,  59-60,  91 

Sea,  health-giving  virtues  of,  354-357 

Seals,  totem  superstition  concerning, 
259 

Seal's  wedding,  a  sailor's  superstition, 
351 

Secrecy,  necessary  in  folk-medicine,  99 

Sedgcfield,  football  at,  124 

Seven  Champions  of  Christendom, 
variant  of,  1-8 

Seventh-son  superstition,  31 

Sheep,  foretell  storms,  331 

Shetland,  superstitions  in,  378-380 ; 
sailors'  superstitions  in,  350-351 

Shinny,  game  so  called,  139,  140 

Shoe,  throwing  for  luck,  210 

Shoeing  of  horses,  customs  at,  109 

Shoemaker,  trade  legend  about,  322- 
326 

Shoes  worn  by  Irish  of  Branmore,  260 

Shoulder-bone,  divination  (Greek),  171 

Shrewsbury,  May  Queen,  191 

Shropshire,  burial  superstition,  350 ; 
stories,  variants  of,  22,  23 

Shrove  Tuesday  customs,  31,  32;  cus- 
tom at  Oxford,  221;  custom  at 
Sunningwell,  222  ;  football  on,  123, 
124 

Sibree  (Rev.  James):  Malagasy  folk- 
tales, 45-57,  75-81,  129-138,  161-168 

Sicily,  children's  games  in,  82-88 ; 
superstition  in,  254 

Sieves  and  knives,  omens  from,  25 

Sleeping  north  and  south,  93 

Slugs,  cure  for  rickets,  379 

Snails  used  in  folk-medicine,  219 

Sneezing,  omen  from  (America),  24  ; 
at  childbirth,  257 

Soldiers,  children's  game  of,  an  omen 
(America),  24 


408 


INDEX. 


Somersetshire,  overlooking  in,  191 
Sompting  (Sussex),  yersion  of  matum- 

ign  play  from,  7 
Song,      blacksmiths',     324-325  ;     on 

Caadlem  is-day  at  the  Temple,  317 
Sorrel  in  Drayton's  plant-lore,  148 
Soul  dwelling  apart  from  the   body, 

302 
Souls,  transmigration  of  (Ireland),  213 
Spain,  folk-lore  in,  127 
Spider,  used  to  stop  nose  bleeding,  219 
Spittal,  custom    at    child-birth,  257 ; 

used  to  avert  evil  eye,  219  ;  used  in 

folk-m3dicine,    102,   103  ;    proverbs 

connected  with,  280 
Staffordshire,  dream   superstition   in, 

350 ;  folk-tale,  40-43 
Stars,  counting  of,  cause   wens,   97  ; 

notions  of,  in  Drayton,  365-367 
Stcjel,  evil  cannot  pass,  380 
Stitch,  cure  for,  379 
Stone  circles,  game  of  (Ireland),  264  ; 

impressions  on,  141,  263 
Stones,  legends  about  (Ireland),  259, 

263  ;  pile  of,  raised  to  obtain  wind, 

260  ;  thrown  into  sea  before  bath- 
ing, 356  ;    legends  of  the  Rollrich, 

151 
Stork,  folk-lore  of,  233 
Stranger  in  house  (America),  24 
Sty,  remedy  for,  120 
Suicide,  superstition  concerning,  121 
Snnningwell,  Shrove  Tuesday  custom 

at,  222 
Sunstroke  in  folk-medicine,  103  104 
Sussex,    blacksmiths'    lore,    321-328 ; 

laying   a  ghost  in,  253 ;  tipteerers' 

play,  1-8 
Swan  maidens,  folk-tale  incident,  12 
Syrian  folk-lore,  187 
Szekely  folk-medicine,  97-105 

Tabulation  of  folk-tales,  152-155, 183- 
186,  214-217,  249-252,  281-284 

Tailor,  trade  legend  about,  322-326 

Tasks  (three),  folk-tale  incident,  13, 
46-48,  165  ;  Malagasy,  129 

Teeth,  casting  of,  by  children  (Ame- 
rica), 24  ;  omen  from  position  of 
(America),  24 

Teething  charm,  219 

Temple  (R.  C):  Burmese  ordeals,  89- 
90  ;  on  proverbs,  26  ;  Punjab  Notes 
and  Queries  reviewed,  27 

Terminology  of  folk-lore,  285-286,  311- 
316,  340-348 

Thomand  and  One  Nights,  tale  from, 
298 


Threading  the  needle  at  Ripon  cathe- 
dral, 253,  286 
Threshold,  charms  at  the,  104 ;  custom j 
at  the, 330, 33 1 ;  treading  on  (Syria), 
187 
Thump,  Lancashire  name  for  wakes, 

25 
Thyme  in  flower-lore,  119 
Tipteerers'  play  (Sussex),  1-8 
Toads,  notion  concerning,  120 
Toothache,  charms  for,  31, 33, 94 ;  cure 

for,  380  ;  omen  of,  24 
Totemism,  relic  of  (Ireland),  259 
Trade  legends,  322-326 
Tradition,  accuracy  of,  141-142 
Transmigration,      Drayton's     stories 

about,  364  ;  of  souls  (Ireland),  213 
Tree  sprites,  worship  of  (India),  334-336 
Turcoman  folk-lore,  43-45 
Turquoise,  folk-lore  of,  227 
Tutsan  in  Drayton's  plant-lore,  146 

Unexpected  (Prince),  a  Polish  tale,  9- 
18 

Valerian  in  Drayton's  plant-lore,  148 
Vernaleken  (Theo.lor):  In  the  Land  of 

Marcels  reviewed,  255 
Vervain  in  Drayton's  plant-lore,  147 
Vicarirtl  sacrifice  in  folk-medicine,  104- 

105 

Wake  (C.  Staniland):  Folk-lore  termi- 
nology,  345-346  ;  Irish  games  of  ball, 
319 

Wakes,  Yorkshire  name  for,  25 

Wales,  St.  Winifred's  well,  tradition, 
150 

Warts,  charm  for,  31 

Warwickshire  folk-lore,  187-188 

Wassal,  song  on  New  Year's  day,  25 

Water,  charms  for  fairies,  92  ;  ordeal, 
89 ;  pouring  out,  used  in  folk- 
medicine,  102  ;  superstition,  171- 
172,  220  ;  worship,  149-151  ;  horse 
(Irish),  61-62;  king,  folk-tale  incident, 
10 

Waters,  local  medicinal,  in  folk- 
medicine,  100 

Weardale,  Durham,  notes  from,  120 

Weather-lore,  331 ;  Derbyshire,  278- 
279  ;  from  Drayton,  276 

Well  worship,  211,  213;  Ireland,  138, 
140,260 

Welte,  of  St.  Winifred,  149-150;  in 
Scotland,  173  -  175  ;  superstition 
(Wales),  349 

Welsh  folk-lore,  349 


IND£X. 


409 


Wens,  cause  of,  97 

Wheatley  (Henry  B.):    Folk-lore  ter- 
minology, 346-347 
Whistling,  Turcoman  notice  of,  44 
Whitsunday  games,  287 
Whooping-cough,  charm  for,  33 
Wife-beaters,    Warwickshire     custom 

respecting,  187 
Willow,  in  Drayton's  poems,  142;  in 

plant-lore,  119 
Wind,  raising  the,  260 
Winifred  (St.),  well  of,  149-150 
Witchcraft,  157-158,  191;  from  Dray- 
ton's works,  357-360;  in  Dorsetshire, 
349;  France,  255;  Irish,  34;    Lan- 
cashire, 26;    Ross-shire,  288;  Scot- 
land, 121,  219 


Witches  turn  into  hares,  258 

Wolf  used  in  folk-medicine,  98 

Wolves,  were-,  362-365 

Word  charm,  158;  formula5  in  folk- 
medicine,  101, 102, 103,  106 

Wort-cunning  in  Drayton,  145 

Wratislaw  (liev.  H.  H.):  Prince  Un- 
expected, 9-18 

Wren,  folk-lore  of,  267-268;  omens 
from,  66,  67 

Yarrow  in  Drayton's  plant-lore,  146 
Yorkshire,  couvade  in,  121 ;  name  for 

wakes,  25 
Youngest,    success    of,    in     folk-tale 

(Malagasy),  129-131 


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